


The House Always Wins

by Halifax432



Series: A House of Kings [1]
Category: House of Cards (US TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, American Politics, Breaking the Fourth Wall, Chess Metaphors, Consensual Infidelity, Manipulation, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-09
Updated: 2021-03-13
Packaged: 2021-03-18 22:27:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 27,201
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29864985
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Halifax432/pseuds/Halifax432
Summary: After being denied the position of Secretary of State, Frank Underwood sets out on a mission to destroy President Walker and all his allies as revenge. However, even he can't do it alone and so he has his Chief of Staff, Doug Stamper and his wife, Claire at his side.
Relationships: Claire Underwood/Francis Underwood, Doug Stamper & Francis Underwood, Edward Meechum/Francis Underwood, Zoe Barnes/Francis Underwood
Series: A House of Kings [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2200653





	1. Chapter 1

Cheers erupted around the room as the two large television screens in the corners showed the annual New York ball drop. More cheering filled the ballroom from the speakers that were connected to the television screens.

Frank joined in with the applause for several seconds before he stopped and surveyed the room with a calculated gaze. He looked over towards the stage with a blank look. _"President-Elect Garrett Walker. Do I like him? No. Do I believe in him? That doesn't matter right now. Any politician that can get 70 million votes and 365 electoral votes has tapped into something larger than they can comprehend. Larger than me, which is something I don't admit often."_

_"But look at that winning smile, those trusting eyes. A fool, but a useful one at that."_ Frank started walking away from the group he had just been talking with. He weaved expertly through different groups as they talked to one another about things he could hardly care about. _"I latched onto him early in the primaries and made myself vital. After 22 years in the House, it's easy to smell which way the wind is blowing."_

Frank looked towards a group to his right where a man in his sixties was talking and laughing with several Congresspeople and Senators. _"Oh, Jim Matthews, the right honourable Vice President-Elect. Former Governor of Pennsylvania. He did his duty in delivering the Keystone state. And now they're about to out him out to pasture. If you asked me I would have chosen the Senior Senator from Delaware, but that doesn't matter now, does it? For some, it's simply the size of the chair."_

Frank started walking again after he had picked up a glass of champagne from one of the waiters that were moving around the room. He pointed towards a Latina woman that was having her photo taken with some Senator whose name he didn't bother to memorize. _"Linda Vasquez, Walker's Chief of Staff. I got her hired a few years back when Walker was still the Governor of Colorado. She's a woman, check, and a Latina, check, but more important than that, she's as tough as a two-dollar steak."_

_"When it comes to the White House, you not only need the keys in your back pocket, you need the gatekeeper."_ Frank took a sip from his glass before he started walking again. _"As for me, I'm just the lowly House Majority Whip. I keep things moving in a Congress choked by pettiness and enervation. My job is to clear the pipes and keep the sediment moving. But I won't have to be the plumber for much longer. I've done my time. I've backed the right man."_

He turned around to look at the stage as Walker and his family raised their glasses while everyone yelled, "Happy New Year!"

_"Give and take,"_ Frank smirked before he slightly raised his glass. _"Welcome to Washington, the den of dragons and the breeding ground of charlatans."_

* * *

Frank stared straight ahead at the black concrete walls of the headquarters of Walker's transition team. He was there for the meeting he had been dreaming of for over a decade. He turned his head slightly as the new Communications Director, Goldberg, left Vasquez's office.

He picked up his briefcase before he started to walk to the entrance where a Secret Service agent held open the sliding door. He stepped into the office and tried to not show his disgust at the brightness of the room. 

"Mr. President-Elect running late?" Frank asked as he took the seat in front of Vasquez's desk and placed his briefcase on the desk before he started to open it. 

"No, he couldn't make it. I'll brief him, though." Vasquez replied which made him pause for a nanosecond before he continued. He pulled out a piece of paper and handed it over to Vasquez.

"This is the memo I've drafted on our Middle East policy that we've been developing. Now, I want to borrow from Reagan. I'd like to coin the phrase 'trickle-down diplomacy'. That way-"

"Frank, I'm going to stop you there. We won't be nominating you for Secretary of State." Frank shot a blank look at Vasquez as she continued. "I know he made you a promise, but circumstances have changed."

A flurry of emotions flew through him. Anger, perplexion, neutrality before he settles on a state of tranquil fury. "The nature of promises, Linda, is that they remain unsusceptible to changing circumstances." 

"Garrett has thought long and hard about this, and he's decided we need you to stay in Congress."

"And when was this decision made? And why wasn't I apart of that conversation?"

"Frank, if it had been up to me, I wouldn't have waited this long to tell you."

"So you knew you were going to do this?" 

"It has been an evolving discussion."

Frank clenched his fist as he spoke with an ice-cold tone. "This is a chicken-shit move. I was vetted about every detail of my life. From my time as a child in Gaffney to my days as the Majority Whip. Was that a ruse as well?"

"No-"

"Let's be completely clear. You would not have won without me." Frank leaned back in his chair he knew he had lost this fight but he needed to figure out if Vasquez was being genuine in her regret or if Walker had told her to act regret full.

"You're right, but now we have to lead, and that means making tough choices." Frank couldn't say for certain but he was sure that Vasquez was being genuine about her regret but that didn't remove her from the list he was creating in his mind. "You know, Frank, that education is a top priority for us, a complete federal overhaul. But it isn't just education, Congress is split. We need you there more than you are needed in the State Department."

"I got you hired, Linda." Frank decided to try one last time to see if Vasquez was acting or being genuine.

"I know." She answered quickly as she started cooly at him.

He couldn't stop himself from starting to rant. "Donations, endorsements. I wrote the campaign's entire foreign and economic policy platform. I've served as the Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee and bring the experience of the Finacial Affairs Committee as well as the Budget Committee."

"Frank," Vasquez stopped him from going on a full-blown rant about his experience. "Please."

Frank stared directly at her, his eyes cold and his face blank. "I want to speak to Walker personally."

"The decision is made." Frank stood up from his chair, shoved the memo back into his briefcase, closed it and picked it up in a matter of seconds. "We need you, Frank. Will you stand with us or not?"

Frank paused as he thought over what Vasquez had said and he barely stopped himself from smiling as a plan formed in his head. He knew that he would have to take Walker down and he knew the best way to do that was to pretend he was batting for the President's team. "Of course. If that's what the President wants."

'I'm very glad to hear that."

Frank then turned and started walking towards the door before he stopped and turned around. "I'm curious. If not me, then who?"

"Michael Kern." Vasquez looked at him like she knew what he was doing but Frank knew that she had no idea what he had in store for the President and his allies. 

"Michael Kern? That is an excellent choice." Frank opened the office door with his first target in mind.

* * *

Frank opened the door to his house and entered. He was surprised that there wasn't a light on upstairs as he knew that Claire would normally be home by now. He places his keys in the dish next to the door and turned towards the living room where Claire was sat on one of the couches.

"Claire."

"You didn't call." There was no accusation or anger in her voice, just curiosity. "You don't normally go this long without calling me. Especially when you were meant to have a big day."

"You're right."

"When have we ever avoided each other?"

Frank sighed as he moved further into the living room. Exhaustion was creeping up through his body as he spoke. "I needed the solution first."

"And do you have one?"

"Not at the moment."

"This affects me as well, Francis. And I don't care about the money." Frank shrugged off his coat and placed his briefcase next to his wing-backed chair. "It's that we do things together. And when you don't involve me, we're in free fall."

"I should have called you and I didn't." Frank continued by answering the question Claire was about to ask. "She says they needed to keep me in Congress."

"Linda said that?" Claire leaned back into the couch as she looked at Frank. A full glass of wine lay on the table and he knew it had only just been poured from the fact that the glass hadn't been moved an inch from where the wine bottle stood.

"Walker wasn't even there. That is what gets me. He couldn't gather the courage to look me in the eye and tell me himself.'

"I knew you shouldn't have gotten Walker to hire her. And you shouldn't trust her. Not anymore. Not after this."

"I didn't. I don't. I don't trust anyone after this. You and Stamper are the only ones. I can afford to trust."

"Them how could you not see this coming?"

Frank leaned back against the wall as he stared directly ahead. He couldn't bother to look at Claire. "I never thought they were capable. I've had my hand in Walker since he was Colorado's Governor and now he stabs me in the back."

"You don't usually underestimate people, Francis."

"I know." Frank turned and looked straight into Claire's eyes where he could see anger boiling in them. "Hubris. Ambition."

"You should be angry." Claire's tone hadn't changed from the moment he had walked in the door. He couldn't be bothered to ask why it hadn't changed, no, he was too busy planning what to do next.

"I'm furious."

"Then where is that? I don't see it."

"What do you expect? Do you want me to scream and yell? Throw a tantrum? Destroy things?" Frank had to say that throwing a tantrum or screaming or destroying things wasn't his style. No, he was more prone to stone-cold fury.

"I want more than I'm seeing. You're better than this, Francis."

"Well, I'm sorry then, Claire. I am sorry."

"No, I won't accept that."

"What?" 

"Apologies." Claire stood up and moved over to where Frank was leaning against the wall starting at the fireplace that wasn't lit. "My husband doesn't apologize, even to me." 

Claire moved out of the living room and started walking up the stairs. Frank walked towards one of the many bookshelves which stored every book he owned. He raised a fist and slammed it straight into the wall. He couldn't help, he needed to let out the anger that was flowing through him.

Then he moved towards the window in the living room where his cigarette box was stored. He pulled the shutters open and opened the window before opening the box. He took his lighter and a cigarette and lit it.

Then all of his anger flew away.

* * *

"They've done us a great favour, Doug." Frank leaned back in his chair as he observed Stamper leaning on the couch that was in his office. He hated the blue colour of the couch but just couldn't get around to moving it. "We are no longer bound by allegiances. We serve no one. We live by one rule and one rule only: never again will we allow ourselves to be in the position that I was just put it."

"Walker and Vasquez," Stamper replied to a question that he hadn't asked but had been obvious from the way he had been speaking.

"All of them. Kern, Walker, Vasquez, Matthews. I hold them all accountable."

"You want retribution?"

"No," Frank answered ss he looked up from the newspaper he was reading. "It is more than that. Look at the bigger picture."

"I think I see what you're getting at." Frank knew that Stamper knew exactly what he was talking about. That was why he had hired him in the first place, a brilliant mind that could be used for anything. "Kern first?"

"To take a king, you need to take all his pawns. One at a time."

"Who would you want for Secretary of State?" Stamper asked as Frank stood up and lives towards the window which let him see out of the Capitol.

"Get me a list of choices. And however we do this, we'll need a buffer." 

"You mean an errand boy."

"Yes, someone we can control completely. Who won't have problems deciding to remain loyal for should it come to that."

"I'll keep my ear to the ground."

"Good."


	2. Chapter 2

Frank looked up from the piece of paper he was writing on when Stamper knocked on the door. "She's here."

He set the piece of paper down and straightened his chair before replying. "Send her in." He then turned in his chair to face the door. _"It's rare for a President's Chief of Staff to climb the Hill, which means it is meant to be a gesture of respect, either that or desperation. Now, I'm gonna guess that she'll say 'Donald Blythe for education'."_

He stood up and moved towards the door to see Vasquez walking towards him with a file in hand. _"Let's see if I'm right."_ He plastered a fake smile across his face as he spoke. "Good morning, Linda. Thank you so much for coming up here."

"My pleasure," Vasquez replied as she took a seat in front of Frank who retook the chair he had just stood up from. 

"Education," Frank said to show he knew exactly why Vasquez had made the trip up to his office. And he knew the tickets to the Jefferson Ball were to butter him up.

"First things first." Vasquez opened the file to show a seating chart for Walker's Inauguration. She pointed at a pair of seats that were right next to where the President would be sworn in. "The seating chart for the Inauguration. How do these two work for you and Claire?"

"Perfectly."

"And the come with a complimentary set of tickets to the Jefferson Ball."

"Claire will be over the moon," Frank replied in a blank tone which Vasquez didn't seem to notice as she placed the file back into her bag. 

"So, education." Vasquez turned around once she had put the file away to look at Frank. "We have Donald Blythe drafting the bill."

"Blythe? Jesus." Frank leaned back in his chair with his eyebrows raised to make it look like he was shocked about what Vasquez had just said. _"Told you so."_

"I know."

"So, you want a bill just two steps left of Marx and a million steps left of Lenin."

"I advised the President against it, but Donald is the face of education. He's been pushing reform for 25 years."

"Which means you want me to guide him towards the middle." Frank knew that was exactly why she had come. The new administration couldn't try to pass an overhaul of the school system which had been written by a democratic socialist. No, it would fail in committee before it even got to the House.

"We need a bill we can pass." Vasquez may be high on his list of people to destroy but Frank had to admit that she was smart when it came to what legislation could be passed.

"Do I have absolute autonomy and authority on this??"

"There's more. Garrett wants the bill on the floor within the first 100 days. He wants to make a pledge in his inaugural address."

"It's very ambitious, Linda." Frank looked at the painting of FDR which hung on the wall he was staring at. "100 days? I can deliver. "

* * *

Frank looked up from the book he was reading when he heard knocking on the front door. He bit back a smile, he was right again. He placed the bookmark on the page he was reading, set the book down and walked over to the front door.

He opened it to see a woman who was in her late twenties with long, brown hair standing in front of him. His bodyguard was having an argument with her that stopped when he opened the door.

"Sir, I apologise. This woman-"

"Congressman." 

"Miss, you need to step away from the door."

"If I could just have-" Frank raised a hand which made both his bodyguard and the woman fall silent immediately. He turned and looked at the woman with cold eyes. He couldn't be too friendly at the meant, no, that came afterwards.

"Who are you?"

"My name is Zoe Barne. I'm a reporter at the Washington Herald."

Frank already knew fifteen different ways that Barnes could be useful but he just wasn't sure which one he would go with yet. "It is 11:00 at night, and this is my house. I do not allow any-"

"We're part of a mutual admiration society." Barnes raised her phone to show Frank a picture of him standing outside the National Centre for Performing Arts with his eyes staring at her as she passe him.

"You're a fan of the symphony."

"More for the people watching than the music."

Frank nodded towards his bodyguard. "It's fine, Steve. Come on in, Miss Barnes." He closed the door behind Barnes as she stepped inside before moving back into the living room and pouring himself a glass of whiskey.

He took a seat in the wing-backed chair while Barnes took a seat on the couch in front of him. Barnes pulled off her scarf and jacket but Frank kept his gaze on her face. "There's no harm in looking."

"If I was a fool I would have fallen for a ploy that cheap but I am no fool." Frank raised his glass and took a sip before continuing. "However, you do have my undivided attention. "

"Good. The reason I'm here-"

"Does this mean foreplay is over?"

"I read somewhere that JFK never lasted more than three minutes."

"The point being?"

"Time can be precious. Powerful people don't have the luxury of foreplay."

"So, why are you here, Miss Barnes?" Frank could tell that she wasn't the political correspondent for the Washington Herald because she hadn't dressed up for the interview. 

"I need someone I can talk to."

"We're talking. Tell me what we're talking about."

"I protect your identity, I print whatever you tell me, and I'll never ask any questions."

"And what makes you think I don't have such an arrangement with a colleague of yours?"

"You wouldn't have let me through the door if you did."

Frank did have to admit that most political correspondents weren't like Barnes. They would never seek out a politician that would be willing to destroy their rivals through the press. "I've led a very long, very successful career avoiding this sort of intrigue with the press. I can't see any advantage in starting now."

"Why not?" It was obvious Barnes wanted this from the way she was sitting and speaking. 

"Sloppiness, for one." 

"I promise you absolute discretion."

"Which means we're talking about trust." Frank didn't move an inch as he spoke. "I don't trust easily."

"Use whatever word you like."

"Words matter very much, Miss Barnes. You should care about them, given your profession."

"Then, yes...your trust."

"Which Zoe Barnes am I to trust?" Frank placed his glass on the table next to him as he interlocked his fingers. "The who wrote about the fireman that married the meter maid, or the one who wrote a brilliant article on a new jogging path in Rock Creek Park? Don't be flattered. I try to read everything."

"I'm better than what they have me doing." Barnes leaned forward as she spoke. "You know what that is like."

"Do I?"

"You'd have made a great Secretary of State."

Frank paused to make it look like he was thinking about was Barnes had said but he had already decided what he was going to do the moment she had sat down. "How exactly can I help you, Miss Barnes?"

"You must know the administration's legislative agenda, what is coming first."

"I may."

"Will you tell me?"

"What would you guess?"

Barnes paused for a second as she thought about the question then she replied. "Education."

"Why?"

"Immigration is too controversial. Tax reform isn't sexy enough. Gun control is too old. But everyone can get behind children." Frank just stared at her. "Is it education?"

"You might very well think that. But I couldn't possibly comment." Frank stood up as he spoke. "It's late, Miss Barnes. I hope you'll understand that I want to sleep on all this. I never make such big decisions so late at night. "

Barnes stood up and followed Frank to the front door which he opened when they arrived. She handed over a business card. "My number's on the back."

"Did you put Miss Barnes in the visitors' ledger?" Frank asked his bodyguard who was stood on the steps of the house staring at them.

"Don't. Needless to say."

"Needless."

At the same time, another door opened and Claire walked out into the hallway. "Hello."

"Claire." Frank turned and nodded at her. "This is Miss Zoe Barnes of the Washington Herald. She was just leaving."

"Very nice to meet you, Mrs. Underwood."

"Drive safe," Claire replied as she walked over to Frank and linked their arms as together. "There is a lot of ice on the road." 

Frank watched as Barnes left the house and closed the door behind her. "Queens are always the hardest to take."

* * *

Frank flicked through the draft of the education bill Donald Blythe had written with a blank expression. He closed the draft, turned and placed it into the shredder that was next to his chair.

"What are you-" Blythe began as he moved out of the chair he was sat on as if to stop the draft from being shredded.

"The bill is garbage, Donald. Tax increases, ban on vouchers, federal oversight. Jesus Christ, it's like you don't even want to get it through a committee. "

"When Linda told me to write it, she promised-"

Frank raised his hand to silence him. "I'm sure she said any number of things. Forget about what they promised you, Donald. They want your name because it carries weight."

"Well, my name comes with my ideas." Blythe protested futility.

"I understand, I do, but you have to be reasonable. The unions, the Education Committee and the Senate wouldn't let something like that pass. This isn't the Great Debate. It's about passing meaningful reform. Maybe not everything you would've wanted, but help me help you." Frank took off his glasses and placed then on the desk.

"That's going to take time though." Blythe's expression was a mixture of miserable, angry and thoughtful. "Those ideas, I've been developing for-"

"If it's time you need, then I will buy it." Frank stood up from the chair and moved around the desk so he was stood in front of Blythe. "You have got to promise me that your next draft is going to give me something I can work with."

"Okay, Frank. I'll see what I can do." Blythe sighed, sounding defeated which is what Frank wanted to happen.

"Good. And, Donald, don't let this get you down, okay? Together we're going to do more than you've been able to do in 30 years." Frank called as he walked out of Blythe's office, leaving the other man standing there bewildered.

* * *

Frank stared at the painting in front of him that depicted people on a canoe rowing down a river as Barnes took a seat next to him. "Sorry, I'm late. The train was-"

"Just before you left my house...think back." Frank interrupted as he kept his gaze on the painting while Barnes stared at the floor. "What were we discussing?"

"The President's legislative agenda."

"Specifically."

"Education." Barnes turned to look at him. "Was I right?"

"Do the math, Miss Barnes."

"He needs a bill."

"Sponsored by..." Frank trailed off so Barnes could fill in the gap herself.

"You?"

"Be smarter than that."

There was a long pause before Barnes replied. "Somebody with legitimacy."

"Good. And who screams legitimacy and education?"

"Donald Blythe?"

"Correct. The problem is..."

"He's an old school tax and spend liberal. Walker's a moderate."

Frank opened his briefcase and pulled out the education bill that was meant to be shredded and placed it on the seat next to him. "Use this." 

He stood up as Barnes picked up the package which held the draft and spoke. "We're in a very grey area. Ethically, legally, which I'm totally fine with-"

"I just love this painting. Don't you? We're in the same boat now. Take care to not tip it over. Only one of us can be saved from not drowning." Frank then walked away leaving Barnes with the draft sitting alone.


	3. Chapter 3

"What am I looking at?" Frank asked as read the newspaper that Stamper had given him. He didn't understand what he needed to know as it had been written in the 70s and a lot had changed since then.

"The Williams Register," Stamper answered which made Frank turn and look at him in confusion. Even the name of the newspaper didn't help him understand what exactly he was meant to know. 

"Williams?"

"College. September '78."

"And I'm looking at it, why?" 

"The editorial."

Frank's eyes trailed up to the editorial at the top of the page. And he started to read through it but he couldn't find anything interesting in it. "Not that interesting."

"Michael Kern went to Williams. Check out the masthead." Frank read through the writing in question before Stamper pointed at a certain part of the editorial.

Frank read through it before putting the newspaper down on his desk and turning to look at Stamper. "It's thin."

"The guy's a unicorn. He pisses rainbows."

"You think we can get traction with this?"

"I think you could."

Before Frank could reply, his secretary appeared and said. "Linda Vasquez is on the phone."

"I'm surprised it took her this long considering she would have read it at 5:45 on her way to the White House."

"It's only 9:06." Stamper looked at his watch as he spoke.

"It's been around three hours since she read the Herald. So she spent over 2 and a half hours getting reamed by the President." Frank stood up and picked up his jacket before walking towards the door. "Tell her I'm on my way."

* * *

_"I have six kids working on a new draft of the education bill, Blythe out of the game, a loyal tool in Russo and Barnes working against Kern. I would say things are going well but things are never certain until they are accomplished."_

Frank stared at the TV which was showing a CNN reporter interviewing Michael Kern. Then Stamper entered the room. "We got an almost perfect guy. He's a libertarian drug fiend marinating in a mobile home."

"Shh." Frank gestured towards the TV as he replied.

"I didn't agree with President Reagan on many things, but there was some merit to the notion of trickle-down economics." Stamper pulled out a chair next to Frank and sat down so they could watch the interview. "And I feel there is much merit to the idea of trickle-down diplomacy."

"Vasquez must have given him my lines." Frank fell silent as Kern started to talk about Israel and Palestine. 

"I'm glad you brought up Israel and Palestine." The reporter who was interviewing Kern said. "Because just before we came on air, I received an advanced copy of an article that's going to be in tomorrow's Washington Herald's front page and it was written by Zoe Barnes. And in it, she quotes an editorial that ran in the Williams College Register when you were the editor of it in September 1978, which called the Israeli presence in the Gaza Strip and West Bank, 'an illegal occupation'. So did you write this?"

"No."

"But you were the editor so it couldn't have come out without your approval."

"Of course not, but my staff- somebody else usually wrote the, uh, editorial. And I can not, uh, remember who wrote it. It was 35 years ago." Kern started to stutter as he spoke and sweat started to trickle down his forehead.

"So you aren't sure whether or not you supported those words."

"I can tell you without a shadow of a doubt that I did not write these words."

"But were they in line with your thinking at the time." Kern laughed for several seconds before he answered the reporter.

Frank turned to Stamper. "That's all we need- him laughing. Nancy, get me Dennis Mendel at the ADL!"

The two of them continued to listen to Kern stutter and stammer as he tried to defend himself as well as change the subject away from the Middle East. Frank didn't expect the interview to be as terrible as it was but he knew that Kern's nomination was as good as gone.

"It's golden," Stamper commented as they kept watching. "It's a bull's eye."

"What were you saying when you came in?"

"So, I found a guy who was on the college editorial staff when Kern was the editor. The burnout, still pumping mimeographed manifestos out of a trailer park in the Berkshires."

"He and Russo have something in common." Frank turned to look at Stamper, with the interview still playing in the background. 

"Exactly."

Frank stood from his chair when his phone started ringing. He walked over to his desk and picked up with a small smirk forming on his face.

"Dennis. Any chance you are watching Blitzer?"

* * *

Frank grinned as he watched the TV again where Kern was trying to deny the fact that he had written the editorial. But one of his old college friends saying he did was damning enough to the press.

He picked up his phone and dialled a number he hadn't dialled in ages. "It's Frank Underwood for Cathy." He said before the secretary on the other end could ask who was calling.

"Frank, what is it?" Catherine asked and Frank smirked as he looked at the TV screen again. Kern was digging himself an even bigger grave than what he had dug in the Blitzer interview.

"CNN right now." He answered and waited several minutes so Catherine could get caught up with what had happened. "Get ready, Cathy. Things are about to move very quickly."

"Okay. I'm ready." There was a note of inquisitiveness in Catherine's tone as she spoke.

"Very good."

* * *

He stared straight at the walls of the train station as he waited for Barnes to take a seat behind him. He waited until she had sat down before speaking. "Kern is down and out."

"They're tossing him?" Barnes asked quickly.

"Technically, he'll be withdrawing, but yes they are."

"Can I say a 'source close to the White House'?" 

Frank shook his head slightly as he replied. "No. You let this story play out. They'll announce in the morning. "

"What story are we talking about then?"

"Catherine Durant." Frank paused for several seconds to let it sink in. "As soon as Kern withdraws, you say she'll be the replacement."

"Is that true?"

"It will be once you write it."

Barnes said after a few seconds of pause. "Kapeniak was you."

"You might very well think that. But I couldn't possibly comment." Frank turned slightly to face Barnes. "Kapeniak and Kern we're appetizers, Miss Barnes. Cathy Durant is the meal. Say the name: Catherine Durant. Say it over and over. Then tomorrow afternoon, write it down and then watch that name come out of the mouth of the President of the United States."

Frank stood up and moved around the chair so he was stood in front of Barnes. "You shouldn't miss your train, Miss Barnes. It can be deadly if you do."

Then he walked off.


	4. Chapter 4

"I've been saying for years we should tear it down. It's vulgar, it's an embarrassment to the country, but time and time again Frank Underwood has fought to keep it standing." Frank stared at the computer screen which was showing a local news report. "If it weren't for him, the Peachoid would've been replaced ages ago. And Jessica Masters would still be alive."

"What happened, Doug?" Frank asked after Stamper pressed the space key to pause the video.

"A 17-year-old girl ran off the road texting her boyfriend, and I quote, 'Doesn't the Peachoid look like a giant...'. And then she lost control of the car." Stamper explained which made Frank run a hand down his face.

"Jesus."

"And of course, Orrin's making a big fuss in the local press. And he's pushing the parents to sue Gaffney."

"Sue Gaffney?" Frank asked incredulously to which Stamper nodded in reply. "It's in his jurisdiction."

"It's worth throwing Gaffney under the bus to drag you into the mess."

"He's after my seat again." Frank sighed, Orrin had been an annoyance ever since he had been elected to the House. A minor annoyance, but still an annoyance. "Has he learned absolutely nothing?"

"It's a full-on smear campaign, boss," Stamper said as Frank moved towards the window behind his desk. "He's out to destroy you."

"With this? It's a peach, for Christ sake. Let him make a fool out of himself." Frank moved to renter the conference room where the teaching unions were discussing the education bill.

"No, he will make a fool out of you." That made Frank turn around to glare at Stamper. "If he spins this right, gets national coverage-"

"National coverage? It's a joke."

"And you will be the butt of it. We can not afford it now, especially since you're in the spotlight with the education bill."

Frank leaned against the wall and looked at the picture of the Peachoid. "This thing has caused me so much damn trouble."

"I know."

"Who should I call, parents?"

"Phone call won't do. You need to go down there."

"Can it wait until Monday?"

"We get on this thing right now, then we can contain it. We wait until Monday, and it could have national coverage and your reputation will be damaged."

"The unions are gonna be livid if I postpone and go to Gaffney."

"Marty's reasonable. He'll explain it to them."

Frank shook his head, Stamper didn't understand how much the teaching unions could damage the education bill. "And they're just supposed to understand and accept that I had to get up from the negotiating table because some two-bit county administrator wants to-"

"I don't want to interrupt you, sir." Stamper placed his glasses down on his desk as he spoke. "But this isn't just about Orrin. It's about the parents. Now, you think about the lawsuit. What if you have to testify? Subpoenas, depositions. You get dragged into a court battle, there is no education bill. We can not ignore this."

Frank stopped walking so he was facing the office door. _"I hate this small-ball crap sometimes."_

* * *

"The criteria is a starting point. They're suggested, not mandated." Frank said into the phone which was being played to the conference room back in Washington. "We assemble a council of experts who will determine exactly-"

"Nowhere does it say who these experts are, or how they'll be chosen." One of the teachers interrupted him.

"The President selects the council," Frank replied immediately, he had planned for questions like those because he knew how the teaching unions could get outraged over the simplest of things.

"What sort of oversight?" The same teacher asked.

"We'd like input on the selection." Another one said.

"Doug, check with Linda."

"Of course, sir. I'll go call here."

"Now, can we talk about charter schools?"

"They have to be in there." Frank was getting a headache trying to keep track of how much the teaching unions wanted to be removed and what they wanted to be added. 

"You keep 'em in, we walk."

"Let's not jump to ultimatums just yet."

"Let's find a way to reduce non-public spending."

"Give me a few minutes to think about that." Frank then hung up without letting anything else be said. He hated dealing with any type of union, but he especially hated teaching unions. He tucked his phone back into his pocket before re-entering the room that he had just been in. His new bodyguard, Edward Meechum, followed him into the room and took a seat in the corner of the room.

"We need to be able to pay for it." One of the city administrators said.

"If we offer a settlement, aren't we saying-" Another one began but was interrupted by the first adminstrator.

"That's my point. We would be admitting that the town is responsible for the kid's death."

"We should make the peach farmers cough it up."

"If you do that then we cause a shit storm." A third man spoke up.

"Mind catching me up?" Frank asked as he read through the paper that had an article about the girl's death.

"Wayne and Travis want to go to court. I don't think it's a good idea."

"We can not be pouring money into a settlement when we can barely keep the city running."

"What do you think, Gene?" Frank looked at the mayor who had remained silent while the rest of the group had argued.

"I think that we have to worry about the peach farmers association. If there is a hint that we're blaming the Peachoid, they're gonna raise holy hell." A fourth administrator butted in.

"Who gives a-"

Frank raised a hand to silence the one who had started to speak. He really couldn't be bothered dealing with the small people. "Let him talk."

"I'm just saying we need to keep them in mind."

"She was breaking the law. End of story."

Frank pinched his nose before replying. "All a jury is going to see is a beautiful 17-year-old girl who is now dead. So what is your solution?" Then he paused before continuing. "Gene, how much can we pull together for a settlement if we had to?"

"Around 150." The mayor replied.

"That'll work. Jaime, get your boys down to the hardware store to build two billboards. Put 'em out a mile put on either side of the tower. Have them read, 'Drive safely. No texting behind the wheel'. Get those up by tomorrow morning. And let's stop lighting the thing at night."

"The peach farmers won't like that."

"How much does the electric cost?"

"4,100 per month. About 50, 000 a year."

Frank looked at the newspaper that showed a picture of the girl as he spoke. "Jesus, you could put a kid through college on- let's use that money to start a scholarship fund in her name. Tell the peach farmers that if they want it lit up then they can pay for it themselves."

"I'll deliver that message happily." The administrator replied.

"And do me up a budget and a plan for removing the sphincter. And Gene, get me everything you have on-road regulations. County statutes, not municipal. And do you remember that power line business we pulled up at the last election?"

"Sure do." The mayor had a smile growing on his face.

"Let's make sure we are rock solid on that."

* * *

Frank climbed out of the car and looked up at the house he hadn't lived in for around two decades. He only used it for when he needed to be in Gaffney which wasn't often. He moved over to the garden and knelt next to the flower bed.

He ran a hand over one of the many arbutus flowers that Claire grew when they lived there in the past. He let go of the flowers and stood up before moving to the door with Meechum following behind him.

He mentally groaned when he realised he had to call back the teaching unions. He stepped into the house after unlocking it and immediately moved over to the dining room, table.

Frank then dug his phone out and dialled the number for the conference room which was answered immediately. "We were talking about charter schools. Go."

"Charter schools jeopardise our ability to organize, which is reason enough, but the bigger issue is that measuring their success-" One of the teachers began.

Frank pulled several files put of his briefcase as he answered. "Charter schools have operated under the same evaluative standards that every-"

"Apples and oranges. No matter how you look at it, you can't use the same standards to compare." Another teacher said.

"So, you are advocating more demanding criteria for charter schools than other schools-" Frank clenched his left fist when he was interrupted. He hated being interrupted.

"Our point is simple, Frank. Federal funds should only go to public union school districts." Frank picked up his other phone when it chimed and saw who's number it was.

"Hold on a second." He whispered when he answers the other phone then he spoke louder. "But we've already increased non-charter funding by 10%. The amount going to charter schools is negligible."

"It's the precedent, Frank, not the numbers."

"We're setting a lot of precedents, Marty. That's the nature of reform."

"Some we can stomach. Some we can't."

"Let's not get bogged down in abstractions. Let's deal with specifics. Corey, can you walk us through it?" Frank waited until the other man had started to speak to answer the other phone. "Miss me?"

"Maybe," Claire answered softly.

"It's been fifteen hours."

"So, not long enough to notice you're gone."

"Tell that to Marty Spinella then." Frank leaned against the wall as he spoke. He was feeling exhausted and he wasn't even nearly done with the teaching unions

"How's it coming?" Claire asked and Frank could hear the indifference in her tone, which meant she didn't want to know the specifics.

"It's coming. Slowly and painfully. One question, have we always had arbutuses in the garden, or am I going insane?"

"I planted them last fall when we were there."

"I don't remember that."

"You wouldn't have. You were out campaigning."

Frank raised an eyebrow, Claire wasn't one to garden. "You haven't gardened a day in your life."

"Not true. I have gardened exactly one day in my life." Frank could hear Claire walking around and switching lights off. "However, is it true that you have a new bodyguard?"

"And how do you know that?" Frank looked towards the living room which was devoid of life. Then he remembered he saw a packet of cigarettes in Meechum's pocket when he first saw him and could guess he was standing outside smoking.

"A little bird told me." Claire paused for a second. "How handsome is he?"

"On a scale from 1 to 10, 8." 

"Better than the last one."

"Very true."

"Would you sleep with him?"

Frank looked up at the mirror in the living room which showed the front door open slightly. "Perhaps. Now, I need to get back to charter schools and teaching unions. Wish me luck."

"I always do."

Frank placed the phone down on the table once Claire had hung up and prepared to face the teaching unions again.


	5. Chapter 5

"It's there for leverage so we can lock down performance standards." Frank stared at the Speaker of the House as he tried not to imagine murdering him at that moment.

"You don't toss around their right to collective bargaining like a poker chip," Birch replied as lit one of the cigarettes that were on his desk.

"If we don't, they won't budge." Frank really couldn't decide whether he preferred dealing with the small people in Gaffney or the big people in Washington. All of them were idiots, one group was just more idiotic than the other.

"Has Marty Spinella seen this?" Birch gestured to the draft of the bill that lay on his desk.

"Not the version I showed him."

"So you lied to his face."

"No. I didn't because I never promised to show him the final draft of the bill. If he thought that then it isn't my fault."

Birch raised an eyebrow in confusion. "So you did lie?"

"No. I played a game called politics. A game you are well versed in."

"Well, here's some politics for you." Birch jabbed a finger at the draft. "I allow this to go to the floor, I get murdered in 2014."

"This is coming from the President." Frank hated Birch, he thought of himself as the king of Congress and the most powerful man in the building. 

"Last time I checked, I was still a Democrat, Frank, and you were too. And are you sure the President is? Because he is acting a lot like a Republican."

Frank just stared at the Speaker blankly.

* * *

Frank took a quick look around the Oval Office as he entered it. He didn't understand some of the decorations that Walker had put in. A bust of Truman and a painting of Kennedy were just some of the decorations he didn't understand.

"Frank," Walker said as Frank walked over to the two couches were he and Vasquez where sat.

"Mr. President." Frank shook the hand that was offered firmly. He turned and nodded at Vasquez. "Linda." Then he took a seat in one of the two chairs.

"Let's strike the anti-collective bargaining provision from the bill." Walker began the moment Frank had taken his seat. "Secretary Garcia, Linda and I have talked it over, and I think Linda's right on this."

"Tell Bob he can come by tomorrow afternoon." Linda continued.

"Sir, respectfully, I do not think you should give him the satisfaction." If he could play the Speaker and the President against each other then it would weaken both of their positions while strengthening his.

"Well, give me a reason."

"It makes us appear weak. There is an opportunity for you to establish your supremacy." Frank knew what buttons to push to make Walker agree with him. It was especially easy because the Walker Administration was perceived as weak in Congressional power. After all, the only major piece of legislation that has been passed was a tax bill that was passed through reconciliation. "So we should seize it."

"But without Birch's cooperation, we would be fighting an uphill battle," Vazquez warned quickly. "That wouldn't help to get the education bill to the floor. Frank, we discussed this."

"Sir, if you give in now, Birch will walk all over you for the rest of your Presidency." Frank turned to look at Walker. "I can get this bill on the House floor as it is. I promise you."

Walker and Vazquez shared a look before the President said. "All right, Frank. Show me what you can do."

Frank shot a look at Vasquez as he stood up. "Thank you, Mr. President."

Frank nodded at the President before leaving the office and starting to walk down the hallway. _"That was her trying to take credit for my idea. Advice she wouldn't take from me - unacceptable. I will not allow her to sell my goods when she cuts me out of the profits."_

* * *

Frank looked up from his book when he heard Claire enter his study. He had gotten used to the sound of her heels clicking against the wood of the house.

"Hey." He said in greeting as he placed his book on top of the papers on his desk. "What do you want to talk about?"

"Remy came by the office this morning," Frank remembered his old press secretary, a new partner at Glendon Hill, Remy Danton.

"I presume Sancorp through him wants to donate more money to the C.W.I."

"Yeah, that's what he wanted. The donation's been doubled to 1.5 million. "

"You said no, right?" Frank didn't want to deal with the lobbyists when he was dealing with the teaching unions. It would cause him double the number of headaches he was already getting from the teachers.

"I didn't," Claire answered. "He doesn't want anything from you, Francis."

"He said that last time and the time before that. I thought you would know better than that."

"I specifically asked."

"Maybe they don't want anything at the moment, but look, I created this guy, all right?" Frank ran a hand down his face. "It's a slippery slope. You open the-"

"Think of what I can do with this money." Claire started rattling about what the money could do. "I can hire back the people I let go, I can help accelerate the funding for the projects Gillian has brought in-"

"Let's find another way to raise money."

"But it's right there...at my feet."

"Claire, I have too much on my plate right now. I can not have Sancorp breathing down my neck at the moment. I can not have Remy - look it's Remy. He knows me far too well which is what makes him dangerous." Frank stood up from his chair. "Look at the bigger picture. I'm asking."

"You aren't.' Claire replied as she stood up from the chair she had sat down in and left the study.

* * *

Frank glared at Russo when the door to his apartment opened. He entered slowly so it would be obvious he was the one in charge of the meeting. Then he saw the two children - a boy and a girl.

He was able to keep his disgust hidden but he would have to be careful that he would not meet with Russo when his children were around.

"Hi, there." He would pretend to be cordial for Russo's sake if for nothing else.

"Hi." The two children replied.

"This is Kevin." Russo pointed at the boy. "This is Sara." He then pointed at the girl.

"I'm Frank. Nice to meet you both."

"Do you work with Dad?" The boy asked, Frank couldn't be bothered memorizing their names as it was most likely he would never see them again.

"I do."

"Congressman Underwood is Dad's boss." Frank really couldn't understand why parents referred to themselves in the third person. It was weird.

"I thought you didn't have a boss." The girl spoke up.

Frank turned to look at Russo with a deadly glare. "Everybody has a boss, sweetheart. Even Congressmen. Why don't you take your dinner and go into the bedroom?"

The two children picked up their plates and left the room without protest. Frank decided not to say anything about the kids, otherwise, the meeting would become even more awkward than it was.

"Can I get you a drink?"

"No, I won't be here for long." Frank took a seat on the couch without being offered one and pointed at the game console on the table. "Is that a PS Vita?"

"Yeah."

"Which games does he have?"

"All of them."

"I have a console at home. I play every so often to relax. I should get one of these for the car." Frank then leaned back into the couch and crossed his legs. "So, Peter, we need to close the shipyard in your district. The Brack hearing is tomorrow. You won't put your usual fight, you have zero testimony to add."

"I can't do that." Russo protested after being silent for several seconds.

"Yes, you can, Peter. You can and will."

"I spent months on that testimony! I lobbied the commission. My office-"

"I'm sure you've done splendid work, but it can not come to fruition."

"Why?"

"Politics. There is a larger force at work here."

"It's 12,000 jobs."

"It's a shame."

"I was elected because I fought to keep that shipyard open. Those people are friends."

"I won't debate this, Peter, it has already been decided. The base will close. The only question is will it be a swift death or a painful death?"

"No. I won't do it."

"I know this will be difficult but you have no choice in the matter." Frank stood up and made his way to the door. "I will make it up to you, Peter. I am a powerful friend to have at the moment. Don't defy me."

Frank smiled before leaving the apartment.

* * *

Frank read through the schedule of the House's business next week with a smirk on his face. Birch had fallen in line, David Rasmussen was removed as Majority Leader and replaced by Terry Womack and the education bill was going to the floor. 

He looked down at his phone when it started ringing and smiled when he saw Barnes - no, Zoe's number flashing across the screen. He picked it up and answered it. "I see you've made yourself available."

"I quit," Zoe replied. "Fuck that place. It was a prison, I'm free now."

"Congratulations."

"Where are you?"

"In a car."

"So am I."

Frank smirked slightly. "Where are you headed?"

"Home." Frank could tell Zoe had to be just a bit tipsy from the way she spoke.

"So am I.'

"Yours or mine?"

"Is that an invitation?"

"It's whatever you want it to be."

"You sound tipsy."

"I am."

Frank paused for a few seconds as he thought over the proposition. "What's your address?"

* * *

Frank pushed open the apartment door to see Zoe standing there in just her underwear. He moved further into the place, taking note of the untidiness and how the place wasn't organized.

When he made it to the other side of the main room, he turned to Zoe and asked. "Do your parents know you live like this?"

"They haven't visited."

"Are you cared for?"

"How do you mean?"

Frank expanded on what he meant to say. "Do you have a man who cares for you? An older man?"

"No," Zoe whispered in reply.

"But you've been with older men before?"

"Yes."

"Then you know they hate you, and after they hurt you, they discard you."

"You can't hurt."

"Queens aren't easy to hurt," Frank commented and he saw the confusion flash through Zoe's eyes. "Take your heels off."

And she did so.


	6. Chapter 6

"Every teacher in the country? A month before the school term ends?" Stamper asked as Frank moved a piece of the chessboard that was on his desk. 

"He does not need all of 'em. Just 15, 20 states, that's all he needs." Frank moved another piece of he spoke.

"The A.F.T and the N.E.A can't agree on anything though. The last time they tried something like this only 5 states joined in."

Frank took a sip from his glass. "That was before Marty Spinella. He knows what buttons to push, which people to talk to."

"Which one do we target?"

"We have a better chance with the N.E.A." Frank moved another piece on the board.

"You think Chuck Sloan will bite?"

Frank smiled. The teaching unions may be insufferable but he knew exactly who to target and what to offer them. "Cooperate- we'll give his people protection and a place at the banquet. Fight us, we destroy him. He'll bite. Get him on the phone." 

"It's after 2:00," Stamper replied.

"Spinella is potentially mobilizing the largest teachers' strike in the history of the United States. Timing doesn't matter."

"I'll call him now." Frank could see that Claire had turned her head slightly when he raised his voice.

"I"m sorry. Are we being too loud?"

"A little," Claire replied as she typed away at something that Frank guessed had to do with her charity. 

"What are you working on?" Frank moved over to her and placed his glass down on the table as he asked that question.

"The gala. There's so much to do."

"Did Nancy send you my list?"

"She did."

"What do you think?"

"Good list. Thanks for inviting them."

Frank could tell that something was off immediately. "Something wrong?"

"It's still nowhere near what Remy brought to the table. He offered 1.5 million, Francis. And this gala will only give us half a million."

Stamper walked over to them and said. "I've got Sloan on the phone."

"In a minute," Frank replied and he heard Stamper walk away from them slightly. "I can make more calls then."

"Enough to make 1.5 million?"

"I can get us closer at least."

Claire nodded and shut off her laptop. "I'm going to bed. Don't move any of this around."

"Claire. We made the decision to turn Remy down. I thought you were fine with this." Frank couldn't tell if it was the fact that they turned Remy down or if Claire just wanted to raise that much money which was causing her stress.

"Good night, Francis," Claire replied and walked off leaving Frank and Stamper standing in the living room.

* * *

"Peter Russo," Frank said as he started at Stamper.

"He's a drunk."

"A very functional one at that."

If you run him for Governor of Pennsylvania then people will dig into his past." Stamper retorted quickly.

"Which would be an asset, not a liability." Frank moved closer to Stamper. "Here's who I was, here's who I am now."

"You saw how they dismissed in seconds at the DNC meeting."

Frank waved a hand to show he didn't care about that at all. "Patricia Whittaker is very open-minded, and I am very persuasive."

Stamper scoffed. "Does Russo even want it?"

"Any kid who has made it from the streets of South Philadelphia to the Capitol Rotunda is ambitious. We just need to tap into that, surround him with the best people and them build the machine and then press the go button."

"So you think he could win." Frank knew that Stamper was concerned about Russo's electability but that didn't matter if he spun it right.

"I think he can be a contender."

"Let's say he wins. What do we gain by it?"

"Isn't it better to be holding the reins in this race than watching from the sidelines?" Frank asked.

Before Stamper could reply, the office door opened and his secretary popped her head around the gap. "Your wife is on the phone."

"Put her through in here."

Stamper waited until the door has closed before talking. "I understand that Pennsylvania's important for redistricting -"

"No, that isn't just about this race." Frank stood from the chair he had taken a seat in. "Expand your thinking. Who else is from Pennsylvania?"

"Matthews," Stamper replied immediately.

"Exactly," Frank picked up the phone and started speaking. "Hello, my dear. Nancy had my tux dry-cleaned so I won't embarrass-"

"The Cotesworth cancelled on us." Claire interrupted him quickly before he could get carrier away.

"I'm leaving right now. I'll come get you." Frank slammed the phone into the cradle and started to pull on his jacket. "I have to go?'

Stamper spun around from where he was staring at the board which had all the Representatives' names on. "What's going on?"

"The hotel, for tonight's gala, cancelled. Because their employees are union."

"Spinella."

"I welcome him to come after me, but the minute he goes after my wife, I will give no mercy. Call Cathy Durant and invite her to the gala then meet us at the Cotesworth."

"Yes, sir."

* * *

"If we do this event then the whole staff walkout, and I have 300 guests-" The manager tried to explain but Frank wasn't having it.

"You signed a contract with my wife."

"We'll refund your wife's organisation and pay for whatever the costs of moving the event to a more appropriate venue."

Frank clenched his fists as he glared at the manager. "And we would have to refund half a million dollars in donations. Can you pay for that as well? Because I am pretty sure there is a cause for damages here."

"I truly apologise, sir."

"Who's your boss?"

"I spoke with the owners, and they authorized me to do what I believe is best."

Frank decided to play one last card. "And do the owners of this hotel realise they are shutting the door on 41 members of Congress, the Secretary of State and the President's Chief of Staff."

"Yes, sir, they do. I had to make a very hard decision-"

"Well, I seriously question your judgement. Because word travels fast and it would be such a shame if you missed out on business, wouldn't it," Frank snarled. He really couldn't believe Spinella would pull something like this.

He turned and stormed out of the reception to see Claire and Stamper standing on the top steps of the hotel. Claire smiled when she saw him. "I have an idea. If they won't let us inside, then we'll have it outside instead."

"What do you need from me?"

"Just your manpower." 

"Of course."

* * *

Frank smiled when he saw Catherine climb the hotel steps. "Cathy, I am grateful that you could come. It means so much for Claire and myself."

"Of course, Frank." Catherine smiled as Frank kissed her cheek. "I'm surprised that we aren't inside. I would have thought this event would be hosted in a ballroom."

Frank inclined his head as he linked their arms. "Marty Spinella got us shut out by the union because of the education bill."

"Of course, he did. All the bad things that have happened seem to be caused by the damn education bill."

Frank smiled. Most of the bad things that happened because of the bill had been orchestrated by him. This was one of the only things that hadn't been orchestrated by him. "Now, what can I get you?"

"Do you happen to have any champagne?"

"Only the best for you, Cathy." Frank turned to the bartender that closest to him. "A glass of champagne for this lovely lady and a glass of single malt whiskey for me."

"Of course, sir."

Frank waited until they had gotten their drinks until he started to talk again. "How's Walker been since we last spoke?"

"Do you want me to be honest? Or lie?" Frank gave Catherine a look that made her laugh. "Shitting himself. The education bill has taken far to long to pass which isn't helping his approval ratings. 46% last time I checked."

Frank smirked. "Well, if things keep going the way they are then the White House is going to be full of shit by the time his four years are over."

"That is probably true."

Then a familiar face caught his eye. "Cathy, I need to introduce you to a friend of mine."

"Really? You don't have many friends that I haven't met."

"Well, you're about to meet this one." Frank then led Catherine over to where Zoe Barnes was standing looking at her phone. "Zoe Barnes, this is Catherine Durant. Cathy, this is Zoe Barnes."

"Ah, this is the one who wrote the profile about me," Catherine replied.

"The one and only." Frank watched as Zoe and Catherine shook hands. "Now, I'll leave you to talk alone. I need to go speak to Claire."

Frank walked off to go find his wife.


	7. Chapter 7

Frank looked up from his phone when he heard someone walk over and stop in front of him. He was barely able to hide his disgust when he saw them. However, he knew that he had to look friendly so Russo would continue to think of him as a friend.

"Frank, you have a minute?" Frank could tell Russo had been sober for around three weeks. Which meant he had taken his words to heart when Russo appeared at his house a few weeks ago.

"Sure. What do you want to talk about?"

"I wanna be Governor and I want your help." Frank mentally smiled his plan was working far ahead of schedule, he had thought it would have taken another week for Russo to approach him. "Am I still on the shortlist?"

"You are."

"I haven't had a drink in nearly a month. I'm clean."

"Is that because I asked you or because that is what you want?" Frank had to be sure Russo knew why he had become sober. Because he couldn't use someone who was doing everything because it was Frank who asked them to do it. No, he could only use people who thought that the choices they make were their own.

"It was about time I took responsibility for myself.'

Frank looked around to make sure that nobody was listening to their conversation. "Taking responsibility is one thing and it's admirable. But running for Governor of a major state is a whole other ball game."

"Let me tell you something, Frank. I got elected to the House 'cause I seized the moment that opportunity struck. You kept me on that list. I wanna seize that opportunity. If you help me out, I'll give you everything I have."

Frank let a slight smile appear on his face. "Well, that's all I've been waiting to hear. I'll tell you something. I'll need to make some calls and check-in with some people. Give me a few days and I'll get back to you."

"Of course." 

Frank turned and then pushed the doors that led outside of the Capitol open. Then as he looked towards his car, a smile formed on his face as a plan formed in his head.

"Meechum!" The man in question looked towards Frank as he walked towards him. "How do you feel about steak?"

* * *

Frank hissed slightly as he picked up the two plates of food, he didn't expect it to be so hot. Then once he got used to how hot the plates were he turned and walked over to the dining table where Meechum was sat stiffly in a chair.

"Here you go." Frank placed the two plates down on the table before sitting down himself.

"Thank you, sir," Meechum replied but he didn't touch his food. "Why did you invite me for dinner, sir? "

"I always invite my new employees to get to know them." Frank took a sip from his glass of wine. _"I don't really, I'm not that type of boss. But Meechum can be useful while Zoe Barnes is the voice and Peter Russo is the fool, Edward Meechum can be the brawn. A rock that absorbs everything I have to say without actually listening."_

"I thought you would have known enough about me to be satisfied, sir."

Frank smirked at that. After meeting Meechum for the first time he had had Stamper find out everything he could about him. "I know that before Washington you served in the Marines, two tours, one in Bahrain and one in Afghanistan which was mostly in the Korengal Valley. Then you joined up with the Metropolitan Police Department before joining the Capitol Police."

"I know you were born in New Haven, Connecticut. Your mother had you young and the only father figure you had run off when you were 7 and your sister had just been born. I also know that you graduated from college at the top of your class which means you are smarter than you let on." Frank paused when he saw Meechum's shocked expression. "However, what is on paper doesn't show what is inside."

"Ok?"

"Eat up otherwise your food or it will become cold."

Frank started to eat and Meechum followed him a few seconds later. He did wonder just how far the other man would go if he could control him fully. Frank smirked slightly it would be useful to have such a useful ally.

He was about to say something but was interrupted by the sound of something crashing through the window.

* * *

"Check this out." Frank watched as Stamper threw the brick that was in his hand at the wall. The brick bounced off the wall without causing a crack or making a mark. 

Frank picked up the brick and felt it, he smiled when he realised that it was made of. "It's foam. The same kind that broke the window last night."

"Yep."

"How many of these do we have?"

"200. But I can get more." 

Frank nodded slightly. "Get more. Then get them delivered to the counter-protestors. If we can get them violent then they lose their legitimacy in the media."

* * *

Walker stared at the TV screen as Frank and Spinella debated each other. He could tell that Frank was getting frustrated which was what Spinella wanted because it would give him the ability to back Frank into a corner.

"Congressman, would you like to respond to that?" The moderator of the debate asked when Spinella had finished speaking.

"Yes, I would. This strike is causing two billion dollars of taxpayer money to be wasted." Frank replied quickly which made Walker shake his head. The strike wasn't helping his approval ratings at all. 

"And Congress should be ashamed of itself for that, Frank," Spinella retorted.

"I didn't realise that Congress forced the teachers to go on strike. Because as I remember, we didn't."

"Really, Frank? When you threaten teachers' ability to negotiate as a union, when you threaten their job security, when you threaten their livelihood, of course you force them to go strike."

"And did we force them to start throwing bricks at people's houses? And did we force them to start brawling with counter-protestors?" Frank snapped in reply and Walker could see the anger pulsing through him.

"I'm really glad you brought that up, because there is no proof that the incident had anything to do with the strike. And I want to take this opportunity to say that we condemn any use of violence or intimidation."

"So what you are saying is that you can't control your own people."

"That isn't what I'm saying."

"That is what you are saying. You're disorganised. Disorganised labour."

Walker shook his head and turned his head back to the papers on his desk. There were several memos from the State Department and the Treasury. He was still paying attention to the debate while reviewing the memo that was detailing the effects the strike would have on the economy.

Then something that Frank said caught his attention and made him look towards the screen again. "-there is no 'you' and 'I' in education. Well, there are the letters 'u' and 'I' which are in the word education. But education with a capital E...you know what I'm talking about.

"I don't think I do."

"You do, Marty." Walker narrowed his eyes, he had a feeling that what Frank was going to say next was going to be bad. "U and I- education."

"So, we're going to waste the rest of the debate naming all the vowels in the alphabet-" Spinella sighed.

"I'm happy to play the vowel game. You wanna play the vowel game with me? All right." Walker could tell that Frank was losing the debate because he had sweat gathering on his forehead. Then he started rattling off the vowels like he was a child that couldn't speak properly.

He stood up and moved over to his office door before opening it and shouting. 

"Linda!"


	8. Chapter 8

Frank opened Russo's office door without knocking to see Russo talking to his secretary. The two of them turned to look at him. "Peter, let's talk."

Russo waved his secretary away and took a seat with Frank on the couch that was in the corner of his office. Frank then began to speak. "So, I've spoken to Patricia Whittaker. She and the DNC are on board. You'll be getting four million in start-up funding from them. I'll pick the team. You announce in August. However, the campaign starts today. Are you ready?"

"I've already put together a platform. It's mostly broad strokes but we can hone it." Russo replied with a smile growing on his normally miserable face.

"Good. The first thing we need to address is your sobriety. "

"Oh, you don't need to worry about that."

"Have you been going to meetings?" Frank checked his watch as he asked that. He needed to be at the White House in an hour to be reamed by the President.

"You mean A.A?" Frank nodded his head in reply. "That isn't really my thing."

"If you want my help, then going to those meetings is my one requirement."

"I know I had a problem, Frank. I accept that and I've taken responsibility for that, but I don't think going to meetings is necessary."

"You cannot white-knuckle your recovery, Peter." Frank leaned forward so he was only inches away from Russo. "This campaign will be the hardest thing you've ever done in your life."

"I'm prepared for that."

"You may think you are but we can not take any chances. The party's investing in you. I need to make sure you're investing in yourself." Frank needed to make sure that the next Governor of Pennsylvania wasn't a drunk man who could barely care for his kids. As that would mean the Republicans would win that state in the next election and he couldn't afford to lose that state.

"All right. I'll do whatever I have to do."

"Good. You start tomorrow morning. Doug will take you." Frank stood up as he spoke.

"Stamper?"

"He's been sober 14 years. He'll be your sponsor. In the meantime, I want you to meet with Claire. She runs the Clean Water Initiative. She is expecting you, so clean your schedule and head over there now." 

Frank then opened the office door and walked out. He was preparing himself for his meeting with the President.

* * *

Frank stared out of the car window as it moved slowly down the street. He was trying to think about what the President would say in the meeting. The most likely scenario would be that he wanted the education bill gone which is something he couldn't do.

He was brought out of his thoughts by the car turning around a corner onto Pennsylvania Avenue. He looked at his bodyguard and immediately knew a way to make their relationship more friendly.

"Meechum, is there something else I can call you? It seems disrespectful to call you by your last name."

"It's fine, sir," Meechum replied as he kept his eyes on the road. "I'm used to it. But if you want to call me something else then Edward's fine."

"Edward," Frank repeated as a smile free on his face. "Nice, strong name. A lot of famous people are called Edward."

"I know, sir."

"And I do hope that your boss isn't pressing you too hard on what happened with the window. Because if she is then I'll happily smooth it out."

"It's fine, sir," Edward replied as the car approached the visitor's entrance to the White House. 

"Good, good." Frank looked out of the window towards the White House. "Well, Walker isn't going to be happy."

* * *

"Mr. President?" Frank asked as he entered the Oval Office. Walker turned around from where he was staring out of the window.

"I want it over," Walker replied and Frank heard the door open again and he knew that Vasquez was entering the room which wasn't really a surprise. "As soon as possible."

"Gut the bill, Frank." Vasquez elaborated. "You do whatever's necessary to end this."

"Mr. President, if we give in now, the public won't credit you with a victory. Not even a hollow one. They'll chalk it up as a colossal defeat and will see you as a coward." Frank needed to convince the President to let the education bill go ahead otherwise his plan would be ruined.

"Well, that's on you, Frank." Walker retorted. "You let this situation devolve to where it is. I've already been blamed for the largest teachers' strike in U.S. history. I won't be held accountable for it dragging on months and months."

"Sir, we have to end this strike on your terms. Not Spinella's. Not anyone else's."

"How? By debating Spinella on CNN?" Walker placed both his hands on his desk as he stared at Frank.

"Sir, you have placed your faith in me thus far. I would ask that you continue to do so."

"Whatever you're doing, Frank, isn't working, so I have to step in. Gut the bill. Like Linda said."

"No." Frank's tone was almost a snarl as he spoke. "I am sorry, sir, but I will not do that."

Walker paused for several seconds and Frank could see that he was thinking about how to reply. Then the President finally spoke after a minute long silence. "Are you letting pride cloud your judgement, Frank?"

"Respectfully, sir, you're allowing fear to cloud yours." Frank stared at Walker to make sure he knew he wouldn't back down. _"Not an easy thing to say no to the most powerful man in the free world. However, sometimes the only way to gain a superior's respect is to defy him."_

Walker let a small smile appear on his face as he turned to Vasquez. "What do we have on the schedule, Linda?"

"Your meeting with the-"

Frank knew exactly what Walker meant and started to walk towards the door. "Thank you, Mr. President. "

* * *

If he were visiting for a different reason, Frank would have been happy to see Zoe in pyjamas that exposed a lot of skin but he wasn't there for play. He took in her expression and said. "This is work, not play."

"Then why'd you bother coming over?" Zoe asked once he had stepped inside her apartment and she had closed the door.

"I was hoping you'd answer the door naked."

"That would be play."

"That would be worn with a view." Frank corrected her as he leaned against the wall. "And I already have to deal with that at my proper work."

"And who would that be?" Frank could hear the flirty tone in which Zoe was speaking.

"My bodyguard. Very handsome." Frank then waved his hand. "How many characters in a tweet?"

"140."

"Type this let me know where you land." Frank waited until Zoe had gotten her phone to start speaking. "Eight-year-old Washington D.C. boy killed by a stray bullet in gangland shoot-out."

"61 characters left." Zoe stared at her phone for a few seconds before suggesting. "Should have been in school?" She typed that and then said. "30 left."

"Spinella to blame?"

"128."

"That'll do." Frank then pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket. "Tyler Davis. Third-grader at Vernon Baker Elementary. Shot outside his home in Southeast just before noon."

"Sent." Frank nodded and moved towards the door. "Where are you going?"

"To see the mother." Frank turned and grinned slightly at her. "I'll see you tonight."

* * *

Frank didn't react when Spinella was led into the conference room, no, he needed it to be known that he was the wolf in the room while Spinella was a sheep.

"Frank." Spinella began but Frank just continued to stare at the wall and not react. "So? You said you wanted to talk." Frank turned his head slowly so he was starting at Spinella. "You said you wanted to work out a compromise."

"I lied," Frank replied softly, so soft that it was basically a whisper. 

"Excuse me?"

"I have no intention of working out a compromise."

"So then why the fuck are we here, Frank?"

Frank started tapping his ring against the table. He tapped it in time with the clock that was ticking loudly in the room.

"What the hell's the matter with you?" Spinella shook his head when Frank continued tapping. "Do you think this is some kind of game?"

"No."

"These are real people with families to feed." Frank just continued tapping his ring against the desk. Spinella bit his lip before speaking. "Would you please stop that?"

"Stop what?" Frank just tapped his ring against the desk louder than he had before.

"In five seconds, I'm out of here."

"One. Two. Three." Each time he said a number Frank tapped his ring again. "Four."

Spinella just shook his head and started to move towards the door. "Goodbye, Frank."

"You know the difference between you and me, Marty?" Frank asked before Spinella could even get to the door.

"What?"

"I'm a white-trash cracker from a white-trash town that no one would even bother to piss on. But here's the difference- I've made something of myself. I have the keys to the Capitol. People respect me. But you, you are still nothing. You're just an uppity dago in an expensive suit turning tracks for the unions. Nobody respects the unions anymore, Marty. They are saying. And that means no one respects you. The most you'll ever make of yourself is blowing men like me. Men with real power."

Frank smelt the room before continuing to speak. "Yes. I can smell the cock on your breath from here."

"You think you can get under my skin?" Spinella laughed once Frank had finished his speech.

"I know I can."

Spinella just shook his head. "Kiss my ass, Frank."

"You can't afford to walk out."

"Watch me."

Frank smirked slightly he knew he had won the moment Spinella had stepped into the room. He only had to find a way to show Spinella that he had won. "I've got a dead, underprivileged kid in my pocket. What do you have?"

"I have 2 million honourable teachers."

"Fair enough. But I have something even better." Frank stood up and pushed his briefcase down the other side of the table. "Open it."

Spinella moved over to the table and opened the briefcase as Frank moved around the table so he was standing opposite to Spinella, who had just picked up a brick. 

"Stamper threw it," Frank said when Spinella moved over to the door after dropping the brick on the table.

"You're full of shit," Spinella growled.

"Oh, no, Stamper threw the brick. And I distracted my bodyguard with the offer of food."

"Are you kidding me?"

Frank's smirk grew into a full-blown smile. "And to think you wanted me to apologise to my wife."

"You would do something that low, Frank?"

"I arranged the brick, Marty, just like I arranged this meeting this afternoon." Frank started to move closer to Spinella and crowded him against the door.

"Back off, Frank." Spinella tried to sound confident but his confidence had vanished as Frank was just inches from his face.

"Why don't you just get down on your knees where you really belong?" Frank placed his arms on either side of Spinella's head, trapping him against the door. "Because the only thing you're going to get from me is cum on your-"

"Fuck you!" Spinella punched Frank so hard that he fell backwards to the floor. Frank climbed back to his feet and put a hand to his face to see that he was bleeding. "Look, I'll tell them you provoked me. I'll tell them that you there the brick yourself."

Frank stared at Spinella blankly. He had just won, showed Spinella he had won and gotten the strike to finish all through one action that he thought Spinella would never do. "And who's going to believe you? You just assaulted a United States Congressman, which is a felony. But I won't press charges, Marty. Because the strike ends now."

Frank left Spinella standing there as he went to go clean off the blood.


	9. Chapter 9

"I can see your security guy." Frank looked towards the window which Zoe was staring out of. It was obvious who she meant as he only had one bodyguard and no more.

"Edward?"

"I see what you mean when you said he was handsome." 

Frank smiled softly. "He doesn't swing that way. And even if he did swing that way, he'd never go for you."

"Why not?"

"You're too intimidating for him." Frank knew that wasn't true but he had to keep Zoe satisfied so she would continue to print what he wanted her to print.

"He's the one with the gun."

"But you're the one with the Congressman." _'For now'_ he finished in his head. This affair he had going on with Zoe wouldn't last forever it would just last until she had outlived her usefulness. He reached for her jacket but Zoe grabbed his arm before he could touch her. "We'll talk after."

"We'll talk before."

Frank was glad that she had stopped him because he really didn't like the nights they spent together but he would suffer through as long as it got him a voice in the press. "Peter Russo. Pennsylvania's first district. He's gonna run for Governor. Fill Matthews' seat. It's an exclusive profile."

"With someone, no one's ever heard of." Zoe countered. "What is the angle?"

"Drugs, alcohol. He's a kid from the streets. I want the profile to come out as soon as he announces, and I'd like it to be kind."

"I don't write puff pieces."

"Then get someone else to write it."

"I thought you had something for me."

Frank stared blankly at her. "It's too easy for people to link me as your source. It's dangerous."

"I don't benefit from handing out headlines to other people."

"Generosity is it's own form of power, Miss Barnes."

* * *

"Was he at the meeting?" Frank asked Stamper through the phone as he stared at the building across the street. He leaned on the car as he spoke.

"He was," Stamper replied. "I tried to find him afterwards, but he was gone before I could."

"Did he say anything?"

"No.he never shares. He looked preoccupied."

"Will he show up at the house today?"

"I have no idea. He's not answering my calls."

Frank ran his free hand down his face. He couldn't lose Russo now, not when he had come so far with him. "Mine neither. Anything else I need to know?"

Silence answered him which was something that Frank didn't like hearing and the last time he heard it the education bill almost failed in the Senate before being passed by a slim majority. "I hear silence. I don't like that sound."

"Something came up. I'm handling it."

"Something serious?"

"Serious, but solvable." Frank knew that Stamper could be trusted to deal with things like that. And he hoped that he could this time around as well. 

"Do I want to know more?"

"I don't think you do. We'll be okay."

"Use your best judgement then." Frank hung up when he saw Edward talking to Christina Gallagher, Russo's ex-girlfriend and who he was waiting to talk with. He waited until the other two had crossed the street to climb into the car.

And then when Gallagher was settled in her seat he asked. "What is your relationship with Peter Russo?"

"Things are- they're complicated."

Frank nodded his head before replying. "I understand that but could you at least talk to him?"

"I don't know what I could say to him." Frank could tell that Gallagher was telling the truth about her relationship with Russo.

"I think just showing up could do him a world of good." 

"Today is tough. The Speaker has-"

Frank waved his hand to show he didn't care about Birch. "I've spoken to Bob and he said it would be fine if you took the rest of the day off. In fact, he said he'd be fine if you wanted to take the next six months off." He took in Gallagher's shocked expression before continuing. "I want you to be deputy campaign manager. You work under Nash Adams."

"No." Gallagher shook her head. "I spent years being Peter's crutch. If you just want me there-"

"Of course we want you there to help. Not to be a crutch. Peter is a talented young man with a lot of potential. He knows this, but he needs to hear it from someone other than me. Someone he truly cares about."

"I'm sorry. This is just a lot."

"You don't have to make a decision now, just talk to Peter. There isn't any harm in that, is there?" 

Frank tapped on the car window after looking at Gallagher's expression and gestured for Edward to get in the car. When the bodyguard did, Frank ordered. "My house, now."

"Yes, sir."

* * *

"I've spoken to the Vice President and he'll keep his nose out of Pennsylvania." Frank listened to Walker explain what had happened with Matthews and he nodded when the President had finished.

"I appreciate that. He's a good man, but this is a very delicate moment in the campaign. You start spreading doubts-"

"He's a pain in the ass." Frank tried not to react to how the President interrupted him. It would damage his reputation if he reacted badly to his superior interrupting him. "We all know it. You don't have to mince words, Frank."

"I have to say, sir, the Vice President has a point." Frank turned to stare at Vasquez blankly. She would be the next to go once he had drove a wedge between Matthews and Walker. "I'm not 100% sold on Russo. Do we really want to go with someone this untested?"

"Frank?"

"We're grooming him, sir."

"When do you announce?"

"Next month."

"That's not enough time." Vasquez protested.

Walker waved a hand to silence her. "What do you see in him?"

Frank paused for several seconds. "What I see is a recovering alcoholic with a history of drug abuse." He was well prepared for the looks of shock which filtered over Walker and Vasquez's faces.

"What?"

"Excuse me, Frank?"

"But he's clean now. Has been for a year. This is a redemption story, sir. This is a bright young man who has put his life back on track. Now he wants to help put Pennsylvania back on track."

"Drugs, Frank?" Frank could tell that Vasquez was going to be a problem for as long as she remained in the White House. However, she was still too powerful for him to destroy for now.

"People love an underdog, Linda, and people love someone who stands up after they have fallen. Combine those two it's a very powerful narrative. All of our polling indicates this is gonna work."

"You want us to endorse someone with a history of substance abuse?"

"Let us get his story out there and watch it connect with the voters." Frank looked towards Walker to show that this was what he actually believed.

"All I care about is a win, Frank," Walker replied.

"And I believe Russo is our best bet. This isn't a hail Mary - this is a well thought out game plan. I know I think outside of the box but the last time I did - we signed an education bill."

Walker nodded his head in reply. "We won't stand in your way. But if it backfires-"

"I'll guide Peter every step along the way.' Frank assured the President. "We will not disappoint, sir."

Frank and Walker shook hands before he left the Oval Office. Frank left the room before Vasquez started arguing with Walker. _"I didn't plan on telling them so much so soon, but if I didn't then Linda would have swayed him. There is no better way to overpower a trickle of doubt than with a flood of naked truth. This is why the education bill was so important. It bought me influence precisely when I needed it most."_

* * *

Frank rolled down the car window when it stopped further up the road from Zoe's apartment. When the window moved he could see Zoe and another man talking right next to the door which led to her apartment.

He couldn't hear what they were talking about but he could get the gist, the younger man was drunk and an ex-coworker from the Washington Herald. What he couldn't tell, however, was what exactly he was saying to her. 

He didn't react when the younger man kissed her, he only rolled the window back up when he saw Zoe kiss him back. He ran a hand down his face before saying. "Edward, how far away is your apartment?"

"A few blocks, sir," Edward answered and Frank could hear the confusion in his tone. Which helped with what he was about to ask.

"Would you have any alcohol in your apartment?"

"Beer and some wine."

Frank nodded. "That'll do. Would you mind?"

"No, sir," Edward replied before he started driving again. Frank, however, did not see how Zoe ended up pushing him away because his car had already turned the corner.

* * *

Frank looked around Edward's apartment when he entered it while his bodyguard moved into the kitchen. Frank was surprised it was so organized when he knew that Edward barely came home because of how much time he spent on his feet.

Frank took a seat on the couch and as he sat down he noticed that the table next to the couch was collecting dust as it hadn't been used in so long. Edward reappeared with two glasses and a bottle of wine in his arm.

He watched calmly as the wine was poured into the two glasses. Frank took his glass and just stared at it instead of drinking it. Then he spoke. "Tell me, Edward, do you know why I invited you to dinner that night?"

"So someone could throw a brick through the wall?" Edward answered and Frank noticed that he hadn't had any of his drink either.

"No." Frank gestured for Edward to show him his free hand and he did which allowed Frank to ran a finger over the offered palm. "That was never the reason that I invited you over. I invited you over because I really did want to get to know you properly."

"You don't invite your new employees over to dinner to get to know them, do you?"

"No. You were the exception." Frank moved to closer to Edward. "And do you want to know why you were the exception?" Edward nodded shakily. "You're handsome, you're smart and the way you say 'sir' is otherworldly. Which is why I have to do this."

Frank moved quickly and before Edward could react, he had joined their lips together. Then just as quickly Edward started kissing back with just as much energy.

The wine lay forgotten for the rest of the night.


	10. Chapter 10

"Did you have any input on the design?" Frank took a sip of his drink as he listened to the question being asked. 

"I approved the blueprints. If something's gonna have my name on it, I want to make damn sure they build it right." Frank replied with a fake smile on his face. He hated talking to his friends from college they were always annoying as they were back when he was a teenager. 

"I think my husband fancies himself a bit of an architect," Claire replied as she linked their arms together. Frank's fake smile dimmed slightly as he looked at her, his devotion to her had waned after spending several nights with Edward. 

"Well, Jefferson designed Monticello." The same friend who had asked that question spoke.

"And he also fucked his slaves." Another friend said.

"Luckily, I don't have any, so that particular temptation hasn't presented itself." Frank took a sip from his drink again as the group burst into laughter. _"The Sentinel - South Carolina's premiere military college. They 'taught' me the values of honor, duty and respect. They also hazed me, tried to break me, and, senior year, nearly expelled me when I volunteered for a Senate race and my grades suffered. But that didn't stop them from soliciting a hefty sum for their new library 30 years later. How quickly poor grades are forgotten in the shadow of power and wealth. As for the comparisons to Jefferson, only one of them is true. I have something far better than a slave."_

Frank looked towards Edward who was hovering towards the edge of the room. _"By God, that man makes me feel like I'm twenty years old and sneaking around again. It's been far too long since I've fucked a man that I had forgotten what it was like. But, well, you don't need to know the details, now do you?"_

Frank turned his attention to the newcomer who had walked up to the group. He recognised him as the President of the university. "Your drink is only about half as full as it should be, Frank."

Frank wrapped an arm around the university President's back as they walked away together. "Are you trying to get me drunk?"

"Drunk, passed out in the gutter, so I can steal your wife." Frank inclined his head slightly, but the truth is he really wouldn't mind the other man did steal Claire, not at the moment.

The two of them stopped as Frank turned to the other man and asked. "Did you get the email about the Riflemen?"

"What email?"

"From my office about the invitations. I was hoping they'd be here."

"I'll check the list, but I don't remember any email."

Frank shook his head in disappoinment. "Oh, not a problem, I was just wondering."

"Well, shit, Frank, I'm sorry."

"Don't you sweat if for a second." Frank handed over his glass. "In fact, here's how you can make it up to me - freshen my drink."

"That I can do." At the university President walked off, Frank looked towards Edward and gestured for him to follow.

* * *

Frank redid his belt as he watched Edward was his hands in the bathroom sink. They never spoke after they had finished, otherwise it start to be like they were in a relationship which they weren't.

Frank moved over to another sink and started to wash his hands. "Thank you, Edward. I know how...dangerous doing these things in these circumstances is."

"It's fine, sir. We've done it in far more dangerous places." Frank had agree as he remembered the night the two of them had spent together in his office when the House had been in debate.

Frank looked in the mirror and saw that there was a tiny bit of semen on Edward's upper lip. He grabbed the hand towel, and after drying his hands, gestured for Edward to face him. He wiped the substance away gently. Then put the towel back down without saying a word. 

"Congratulations, Congressman." Fran turned around after he had made it a few steps outside of the bathroom with Edward following behind him. He plastered the fake smile back on his face when he saw Remy Danton approaching him.

"Remy, so glad you can make it." Frank and Remy started walking back towards the main room together.

"Gerry and all the folks at Sancorp give you their regards."

"Well, I'm sorry they couldn't make it."

"Where's Claire?"

"She's here somewhere. Probably looking at some of the fine art on the walls." Frank and Remy stopped at the entrance to the ballroom as they were the only ones there so it would be easy for them to talk to one another. He gestured his head to Edward to let him know to wait against the wall for him.

"Sancorp was very disappointed that she turned down their donation." Frank turned to look at the painting of the library that was going to have his name on it as Remy spoke.

"I can imagine."

"And they're also concerned about Peter Russo running for Governor." Frank turned and glared at Remy. He wouldn't let some lobbyist ruin his plan to get back at the Walker Administration. Not even Remy.

"Now, how do you know about that?"

"Three-quarters of Pennsylvania sits on top of the Marcellus Shale. If I can't find out who's running for Governor, I don't deserve the job I have." Frank decided to look at the painting of the library again so he could memorize it. "This watershed bill Russo sponsors places a lot of restrictions on drilling."

"Remy, Congress is in recess, and this weekend is not about work." Frank walked over to the frame which held a picture of his teenager self.

"I apologise. You are absolutely right." Frank could tell that Remy wasn't really sorry. 

"Is Sancorp your only account?"

"I have plenty. But my other client's didn't pay for your library or my plane ticket down here."

"It's a nice little junket for you. I do hope you're taking in the sights."

"This isn't my first trip to Charleston."

"It is, however, your first time not as my Press Secretary."

Remy nodded his head and laughed slightly in agreement."Who else do you have coming?"

"I didn't want to pack tonight too much. You know, the receptions are usually just for the money people like yourself." Frank's attention was drawn to the front of the ballroom by the university President tapping his glass with a spoon.

Frank smiled as he pretended to listen to the speech and started to walk when the room burst into applause. _"Here we go."_

* * *

Frank could feel the sweat pouring off of him as he tried to beat Corbet, his old friend, to see who could do the most push-ups. He could feel his heart ready to pound out of his chest and let his arms give way. Which made Corbet do the same thing as well.

"You win," Frank grunted as he tried to control his breathing. "It's not a fair fight, though. You run a rafting company, I sit behind a desk all day."

"You'd never be able to raft." 

"If I can whip Congress into submission, I'm not afraid of a little water."

"You cannot tame a rapid, Frank."

Frank snorted as he picked himself up off the ground. "I need another drink." He moved over to where the bottle was and took a sip of it to rehydrate himself before sliding to the floor. He pushed to bottle over to Corbet who took a long sip.

Frank waited until he had finished before asking. "Do you think this place made us?"

"How do you mean?" Corbet answered.

"When I walked on campus today, I wondered, 'Did it mean anything? If it's just a place we spent four years of our lives or was there more?"

"I don't know. However, I do know that you were always the guy that was gonna get a building named after him. I knew that the moment you cussed out the drill sergeant."

Frank smiled slightly. "The library is a sham." Corbet cocked his head in confusion. "Higgins asked me a favour. I asked someone else a favour. They slapped my name on it. Politics. Like everyone else."

"Not everybody gets asked those favours. Or knows how to deliver on 'em." Corbet pointed out.

Frank shook his head he knew that the library wouldn't always have his name on it. "Oh, in 50 years they'll just replace it with something else. Just like they're doing with this for mine."

"You still built something. However long it lasts."

"The library doesn't matter. But I want to think this place did."

"I think it meant a lot to us. Then."

Frank nodded slightly. "And what about us?"

"I haven't thought about it for a long time," Corbet confessed. "It was a long time ago."

"We were so close."

"Like brothers."

"More than brothers."

"We were kids, Frank. We messed around a couple of times."

"I was so drawn to you."

"I could always make you laugh."

Frank laughed slightly to prove his point. "How did we lose contact?"

"You went to law school, I joined the army. You ran for Congress, I moved to Colorado. Hell, 30 years is a long time. I got children older than we were back then." Corner paused for several seconds before asking. "Do you have anyone, Frank?"

"I have Claire."

"Other than Claire?"

Frank's mind flashed to Edward first and the memories of their nights together and then to Zoe, they hadn't spoken in weeks so she didn't matter as much. "Sometimes."

"Like that bodyguard of yours."

"If I want someone, I want them. It's attraction." Frank answered, neither confirming nor denying that it was true.

"It made me happy to make you happy, Frank. Didn't see any harm in it. Do you know why I love rafting? Because when you're on the water, all you're thinking about is what's in front of you. Everything is in the moment. I don't really have the time to think about the past."

Frank picked up the bottle but didn't drink it yet. "You meant something to me then. I believe that." He then stood up and finished the bottle before throwing it somewhere eale in the empty room. Then he slumped back against the wall and closed his eyes.

And it was black before he could stop it.


	11. Chapter 11

Frank stared out of the window that showed a city being drenched in rain. He looked down at his phone and sneered at the text from Zoe that had popped up on the screen. _"If Zoe Barnes has delusioned herself with the fact that her time is as valuable as mine then that is her fault, not mine."_

He looked towards the entrance to the room which Edward had entered with two cups of coffee in his hand. _"I have something more worth my time than her."_

As Frank was about to sit down, he looked at it to see Zoe's number appear on the screen. "One minute." He said before answering the phone. "Miss Barnes, what can I-"

"I think we should end it."

Frank smirked slightly as he looked towards Edward who was staring at the TV screen without listening to it. "Oh, I can live with that."

"Really?"

"You're making the adult decisions here. Not me." Frank then hung up and let the phone drop to the floor. He then leaned over the couch to whisper into Edward's ear. "I need you to distract me. To take my mind away from Russo and the watershed bill."

"Yes, sir," Edward whispered as he turned around so he could kiss Frank.

* * *

"How close is it?" Walker asked as he looked out of the window and towards the lawn of the White House where his kids were playing with the family dog.

"I should have the last two votes I need committed today," Frank assured him. He always needed to assure the President that the bill would pass whenever there was legislation in the House. "I just want to make sure no one changes their mind."

"I'd prefer not to get embroiled in environmental issues at this time." Walker turned around so he was facing both Vasquez and Frank.

"It's also a jobs-creation package. 5,000 in two years which will increase to 10,000 in four years and then to 15, 000 in six."

"It's antagonising oil and gas," Vasquez explained. "We can't afford that sort of battle. Not after all of the political capital we spent on the education bill."

"All I need is one public statement of support," Frank smirked if the bill passed it would help Russo get elected as Governor and it would weaken Walker's position with the corporations. 

"I won't do that." Walker shook his head. "How about you take Linda tomorrow? Set her up in your offices. Any meetings or calls you might need to whip up votes, you'll have her there."

"I can not afford to spend a whole day lobbying on the Hill. I've got-"

"Well, you have deputies."

"I do."

"So, are you telling me that you can't manage them from ten blocks away?" Walker smiled smugly.

"Of course I can, sir."

"Look if it's too difficult-" Frank really didn't want Vasquez working with him in the Capitol it was bad enough dealing with her in the White House but dealing with her on his territory was worse.

"No. We'll help you out, Frank. Won't we, Linda?"

"Yes." Vasquez stood up. "If you'll just excuse me, I have to rearrange a few things in my schedule." Then she left the office and Frank really couldn't believe she'd be stupid enough to leave him alone with the President.

"What else, Frank." Walker removes his glasses and leaned forward like he was excited to hear about Frank's work in Congress. "Tell me what Birch is up to."

* * *

"How are we looking?" Frank asked when he entered his office to see Stamper and his assistants crowded around the main table.

"We're short a vote." Stamper turned around from the board where he had separated the names of each Congressperson into what they were voting.

"I just got off the phone with Claire. Vanderburgh and Abrams are on board." 

"Those are definite years?"

"Definite?" Frank assured him. 

"We should be good then."

Frank looked down at his phone which started buzzing and answered it. "Yes?"

"I've been trying to reach you since yesterday," Zoe replied.

"Well, I've been a but busy counting votes."

"You said you'd have a number for me."

"Try my press office then."

"I did they won't return my calls."

Frank smirked. Zoe Barnes wasn't going to be getting any more handouts from him. "Well, the official record is it will be close."

"I'm trying to get the unofficial word." He could hear the desperation in her voice and that just made him grin.

"Well, I can not be playing favourites now, can I?"

"This isn't because of the other day, is it?"

"What other day? And before you say it this is what professional is like." Frank hung up before turning to Stamper. He couldn't focus on her at the moment.

* * *

"It was good to be on the road again. It was invigorating." Frank held back a smile as he listened to Matthews speak. It was working just how he had planned which meant he would be able to drive a wedge between Walker and Matthews. 

"Well our internals are showing a huge increase in numbers," Stamper explained and Frank could see the happiness in Matthews' eyes. Which Frank knew was because Matthews had been left out of the inner circle and so Russo's campaign was the only thing he could help with.

"You made a big difference." Frank agreed as he needed.

"The President is grateful and so am I." Vasquez shot a side glance at Frank when she said the last bit and he knew it was because he had let her go sort out her son's future instead of helping h. 

"Well, it's a team effort, right?" Frank nodded as Matthews continued to speak. "Please excuse me, I need to say hello to your better half." 

Frank waited until Matthews and Stamper had moved away before he started to talk to Vasquez. "How'd it go at Stanford?"

"Good, I think." 

"The Dean's a Republican so there was not a lot of small talks. But he seemed open to considering it. We'll know more next week." Vasquez answered.

"That's terrific." Frank looked towards the TV screen which was showing the House voting on the watershed bill. 

"I appreciate you helping me out."

"I didn't do anything. Anybody can book a plane ticket."

"You know that isn't true, you covered for me with the President."

"Well, we have to keep the important things in perspective, right?" Frank already knew that covering for Vasquez had bought him a favour, no matter what she said.

"Don't think this bought you any favours," Vasquez replied like she could read his mind which Frank knew she couldn't.

"Kindness isn't kindness if you except a reward." Frank turned to his office door as Russo walked through it. "The man of the hour!"

"Not yet the votes are still coming in," Russo spoke over the applause that had filled the room.

"I voted yes. How'd you vote?"

"Voting." Russo made it seem like he had forgotten to vote. "I knew I had forgotten something."

Frank laughed slightly. "We got this. There's some sparkling grape juice there to celebrate." Russo picked up a glass as the voting entered its final stages.

Frank stared at the screen he had the feeling something was going to go wrong and he was proven right when the screen said one Democrat had voted no. Then it switched to two meaning that the bill had failed. 

"I wanna know who lied."


	12. Chapter 12

"The whole reason we do these meetings, Frank, is so I can get accurate information from you."

Frank stared at Walker with a cold expression, he wasn't in the mood to be lectured by someone who thought they knew better than him because it was likely they didn't. "I always said it was going to be close."

"Then why did every article I read yesterday say that the leadership was confident the bill would pass?"

"Do you know Janine Skorsky?" Frank decided it would be best to throw a reporter under the bus if it would help him keep his influence with the President.

"She used to be the Herald's White House Correspondent." Vasquez elaborated and Frank tried not to react because he had forgotten she was sat next to him on the couch.

"I remember her."

"Well, she wrote an article for Slugline reporting a verified vote count. Once the media got ahold of that, it went everywhere. Now, I don't know where she got that number maybe she made it up." Frank explained but he could tell that Walker seriously didn't care about his excuse.

"It doesn't matter if she made it up. The Democrats seemed divided, the leadership looks incompetent."

"But compared to the budget and education bill, why, this was a minor bill, sir."

"That happened to be in the national spotlight, which is what you wanted."

"I got the count wrong." Frank lies through his teeth, he knew exactly who had switched the two votes and she would be dealt with once he was done with Walker. "It rarely happens, but it happens."

"What worries me is that the White House's influence isn't translating into support on the Hill." Walker looked towards Vasquez with an inquisitive gaze. "Linda's involvement had no effect?"

"I wouldn't say that's the case, sir," Frank replied he knew that Vasquez's son didn't get into Stanford and if he covered for her with the President and then got her son into his dream school then she would be in his debt.

"Did you sense any push-back, any fallout from the education bill?"

"Sir, the truth is I wasn't there." Frank clenched his fist as Vasquez spoke, what she had just said made him change around his plans. "I had to make a trip to California to meet the Provost of Stanford for my son. I told you about it last week."

"It was my decision, sir. I made a judgement call that we could pass the bill without her help. But look, tight votes like this, you can analyze 'em to death, but at the end of the day, we came up short. That's my fault, no one else's. Certainly not Linda's."

Walker just sighed as he stared at the two of them.

* * *

"All I said was what you always say- to vote their conscience." Frank slammed Claire's office door shut as she spoke. This was one betrayal that he would not have expected to happen.

"You encouraged them to defy me." Frank snarled.

"I met with them. That's what you asked me-"

"No! That is not what you did. I specifically told you I needed them to vote yes on the bill. There was no room for interpretation. It's a deliberate lie, so don't try to sugar coat it, Claire!"

"I needed Remy's help. You wouldn't offer any help." Claire snapped back as Frank froze at what she said.

"Oh, that is what this is about? You did this for Remy?"

"No. For myself. To get my shipment out of Sudan. He provided assistance."

"In exchange for defeating the bill."

"No. In exchange for not helping it succeed."

Frank sneered at her words. "Which is the same goddamn thing. Do you realize everything we have been working toward? There was a timetable here, Claire. We needed strong momentum right up until the last moment."

Claire slammed her hands on the desk as she pushed herself into a standing position. "I can not operate based on plans you haven't shared with me."

"Then you should've asked me first."

"I'm not going to ask for your blessing on every decision I make, Francis."

"We make decisions together!"

"Well, it hasn't felt like that for the past six months. I don't feel as though I'm standing behind you."

Frank calmed down slightly at those words but he was still angry enough that he was glaring at Claire. "Other people know Claire. This could become a story about us. And that is something you do not recover from. That's something that follows you for life."

"Who knows?"

Frank hesitated for a slight second before answering. "Miss Barnes."

"I thought you said she could be trusted." Claire leaned forward slightly. "Or is it because your affair became something more than just a physical one?"

'You know that it didn't, Claire. That affair was just physical because she was useful which she isn't anymore." Frank decided to not mention his other affair because he wanted to make sure Claire didn't know about that one. _"If you think I love her, you're a fool. I married her for her family's money, nothing more. I just have to keep the facade of a loving husband up most of the time."_

"You can't control her, can you, Francis?" 

"She wouldn't have been a problem if you hadn't lied."

"No, she wouldn't have been a problem if you hadn't dropped your pants. And then you come in here, to my office, and berate me when you're the one who's exposed us?"

"Don't you try to turn this around on me."

"I fired half of my staff for us. I have turned down donations for us. I drafted Peter's bill for us. I diverted time and energy away from my goals for us."

"I don't want to have to say this, but you need to hear it. The C.W.I is important, yes, but it doesn't come close to what we are trying to accomplish. You must see that!" Frank took in Claire's expression but he really didn't care what she thought, not at the moment. "I'm just being honest."

"Then be honest about how you've been using me just like you use everybody else. That was never part of the bargain."

Frank let the silence fill the room for several seconds before asking. "Is it the hot flashes?"

"Get out." 

Frank just shook his head as he left the office, he could deal with the fallout from this conversation later.

* * *

Frank stared out of the window as he heard the front door open. Claire and Zoe were rebelling against him, Russo was satisfied for the moment and Walker was losing his trust in him. He really wasn't having a good week and he envisioned it only getting worse from this point forward.

"Sir?" Frank turned his head slightly when he heard Edward speak from a few rooms away.

"In here." 

"You wanted to see me?" Frank kept staring out of the window even when Edward entered the room and spoke.

"I need you to locate somebody."

"Who?"

"My wife." Frank turned around as he spoke so he was facing Edward with the same blank expression he had been wearing for the past few days. "Do you have a way of doing that?"

"I do, sir. I know a guy in missing persons-"

"She isn't missing. I just don't know where she is at the moment." If he had to guess though Frank would say she was probably with Galloway wherever he resided now. 

"I trust him. We can do this off the books."

"Good."

Edward nodded and reached towards one of his pockets to pull out his phone. "I'll get on it right away."

"And Edward, when you are done, I'd like to talk to you _alone_."

"Of course, sir."

Frank turned back to look out of the window as he waited for his bodyguard to return.

* * *

"How bad is it?" Vasquez asked over the phone, Frank looked up from the file he reading through as she spoke.

"It depends on whether it gets picked up by the mainstream media." Frank hoped the interview did because then Russo would be destroyed and he would be able to convince Matthews to run for Governor again.

"Shall I fill in the President?"

"No. Hold off on that. I need to speak with Peter, coordinate with his campaign. You'll be the first call I make." 

"Frank, before you go, I got an email this morning," Frank smirked his plan to get Vasquez's son into Stanford had worked which meant she owed him. "Stanford reversed their decision."

"That's wonderful."

"The Provost said, Gillian Cole reached out to them. I googled her. She works for Claire. Thank you."

"No need to thank me."

"Ruben was ecstatic. I just don't know how I'm gonna repay you."

"The fact that your son is happy is more than enough." Frank knew how she could repay him but that would come later once Russo was dealt with.

"You'll keep me posted on Peter?" Vasquez replied.

"You bet."

* * *

"He's not answering my calls." Frank turned around to face Matthews who had his arms crossed and was listening intently. "It's over, and he must know it."

"You don't think there is any way he can recover?" Matthews asked in reply with a concerned expression on his face.

"The Republicans will play that interview on every radio and television station from now until November 5th."

"I sympathise with the kid, but this was my concern from the beginning."

"And I should've listened to you, sir. I thought he could handle the pressure."

"Okay. So he withdraws." Matthews moved so he was standing behind his chair with his arms on the back of it. "We need to replace him."

"You have any ideas?"

"With less than two months to go?" Matthews sighed loudly. "If the President hadn't shut me out of the early discussions, I could've come up with some good options, but I don't know anyone who has the name recognition and donor base to start a campaign from scratch just seven weeks out. Let me think."

Frank smiled slightly. If his plan worked, and it should, then he would be able to convince the Vice President of the right candidate. _"The next few minutes are some of the most important in my life because everything hinges on them. All my months of planning, every move I've made. They all come down to this."_

"There is one person." Frank knew he would have to be cautious when bringing the subject up otherwise Matthews would take it the wrong way.

"Who?"

"You, Mr. Vice President." Matthews laughed at the absurdity of the suggestion for a few seconds. "If you ran to reclaim your seat, I think you'd win by a landslide."

"Resign the Vice Presidency?" 

"Only if you win."

"Walker needs me for 2016."

Frank decided now was the best time to drive a wedge between Matthews and Walker as it would be the best shot to get Matthews to run for Governor. "Are you entirely certain he's gonna keep you on the ticket? I mean, it's no secret the two of you don't exactly get along."

"What has he said?" Matthews asked immediately.

"Oh, you're putting me in a very awkward position, sir."

"Has he been bad-mouthing me?"

"Well, the exact phrase he used was 'pain in the ass'." Matthews looked down at his chair and Frank caught a quick glimpse of the hurt in his eyes.

"That fucker. He's got no idea how to lead, no sense of respect. Is this his idea?" Matthews asked once he had gotten over his anger at what Walker said.

"No." Frank shook his head. "It struck me yesterday, and I just thought it was worth suggesting. But I haven't discussed this with anyone."

"And you shouldn't. People don't leave the White House to become a Governor."

"May I ask you a personal question, sir?" Matthews nodded his head. "Do you want to be the Vice President? Peter said that when you were out on that campaign trail, you had so much energy and enthusiasm that he thought you maybe missed being the Governor."

"I do miss it," Matthews admitted after remaining silent for a few seconds.

"Then why not go back? You could be the hero of this election and secure Pennsylvania for the Democrats in 2016."

"Garrett would never go along with something like this, even if he hates my guts. It would make him look weak and that he has lost control of his Administration."

"Not if it was a mutual decision. Look, let me talk to the President. I won't mention that we've spoken."

"I suppose there's no harm in finding out what he thinks."

"Of course, sir." Frank and Matthews shook hands before Frank left the office.


	13. Chapter 13

"Sorry, I'm late, Frank." Frank waved a hand to show he didn't care Vasquez was late. "Please, have a seat."

Frank took a seat and he waited for Vasquez to speak. "I have a pretty good idea for why you asked for this meeting."

"Have you and the President spoken about what we discussed last night?" 

"We have."

Frank would have to adjust his plans depending on what answer to his next question was. And he didn't like adjusting his plans at the last moment. "Is he leaning one way or another?"

"He's torn," Vasquez answered.

"And you?"

"I'm a little less torn. My instincts tell me it's a mistake. You want to convince me otherwise?"

"Well, look, if your instincts tell you this is not the way to go, I'm not about to-"

"Frank, I'm gonna ask you two very direct questions, and I would appreciate direct answers. When you got my son into college, were you anticipating a moment like this?"

"I don't follow." Frank needed to be careful about how he answered these questions otherwise he would reveal too much.

Vasquez gave him a look which told him she didn't believe him. "Honestly, Frank?"

"I would be happy to answer you directly if I knew what you were asking."

"I'll ask you the second question then." Vasquez took a seat behind her desk before asking. "Do you want the Vice Presidency for yourself?"

"I would serve at the pleasure of the President if that was his-"

"You proposed this idea so you can take Matthews' place."

Frank shook his head. He didn't know how she had found that out but he wouldn't allow her to destroy all he had worked towards. "I did not say that."

"But it is what you want."

"What I want is in the-"

"The President makes you VP, he keeps you on the ticket in 2016, and you use that as a springboard to run in 2020. Tell me that trajectory has never entered your mind." Vasquez replied with a hint of anger in her voice.

"Well, Linda, I make a habit of considering all trajectories in any given situation. But that's a practical exercise, not a personal one."

"So you refuse to admit it."

"Admit it's what I want? That's irrelevant." Frank would never admit to Vasquez of all people that he wanted Matthews gone so he could become the Vice President.

"You're the one who asked for this meeting, not me." Vasquez pointed out.

"This meeting's about trying to solve a problem, not fulfil some personal ambition."

"But if both could be achieved, you wouldn't object."

Frank paused for a few seconds so he could think of what he was going to say. "I think this is a sound course of action regardless of who the President taps to replace Matthews." He watched as Vasquez turned slightly in her chair and thought about what he had said. _"I must gamble everything I have right now. If I'm honest, she may use it against me. If I'm not, she won't lift a finger. I've used this same tactic myself. Once someone is exposed, they're at your mercy. She wants to hear me say the words."_

"Yes." What he just said made Vasquez turn to him in shock. "I want to be the Vice President. And, yes, I helped your son get into college in the hopes that you would return the favour. However, I can not force you to do so, Linda."

Frank stood up and was about to leave Vasquez's office but turned around to say one last thing. "But I also think that we would make a formidable team. Look what we've been able to accomplish even when we've been at odds with each other. Now put your mind to what we could accomplish if we weren't. Thank you for taking the time, Linda."

He then opened the office door and left the room.

* * *

Frank moved out of the shadows when he saw Stamper escorting a drunk Russo down the street. He was only glad that Russo wasn't throwing up yet otherwise he would need a new pair of shoes. 

"Hey, Peter. Where's your car?" Russo looked between Frank and Stamper before pointing down the street.

"Down the street."

Frank nodded in reply. "I'll drive you home. Stamper, go back to mine, tell my security Peter's address so he can pick me up." Stamper nodded and started walking back up the street while Frank escorted Russo down the street. "This way?"

"Yeah."

Frank kept his expression blank as the two of them walked down the street. He knew what he had to do. It was the only way.

* * *

Frank pulled Russo's car into his private garage and switched the engine off before he asked. "Do you want me to come upstairs?"

"No," Russo grunted as he unfastened his seatbelt. Frank nodded and was about to get out of the car when he saw a bottle of alcohol next to him.

He looked at it for several seconds and he knew that having Russo drink the bottle was the only way. "I know you're in a lot of pain, Peter. But I don't want you to feel any pain tonight." He handed over the bottle to Russo who took it. "Here. You can start fresh tomorrow. Go ahead. I won't judge you. Hell, I'll even join you."

Russo took the cap of the bottle off and started to drink the liquid. "Just relax. You're home now. Whatever it is you have to face tomorrow, you don't have to face it now. Right now it's just you and me. The rest of the world doesn't matter. Your children, Christina - they will forgive you because you're loved, Peter."

"Failed," Russo whispered. "I failed myself. I failed my family. I failed the campaign."

Frank turned his head slowly to look at Russo. "No, you haven't, Peter." He then reached over and touched the bottle. "May I?" Russo let go of it without saying anything.

Frank took a sip out of the bottle before placing it between the two of them. "You know, when Claire and I were first married, we talked about having children. I told her flat out I didn't want any. It was selfish but honest. I didn't have a particularly happy childhood. I suspect you didn't either."

"No." 

"You see, no person avoids pain. And I just didn't think it was right to bring a child in knowing that. But now when I think back,- I realize that was cowardly. I see you, and I think, well, there's a brave man, far braver than me."

Russo whispered. "I'm so tired." He paused for a second before continuing. "When I- when I think about - I'm so tired."

"You should close your eyes. Let it all go. We have all the time in the world." Frank waited a minute until Russo's breathing had evened out. "Peter?"

There was no answer.

"Peter?" He spoke louder and still got no answer. Frank looked down at his lap after that where a cloth lay and he picked it up. He started wiping the wheel so his fingerprints would go away. Then he wiped the car keys clean. Then the bottle of alcohol. He picked up Russo's hand with the cloth and used one of his fingers to press the button which started the car up. 

He rolled down the window before claiming out of the car and wiping down the handle. Then he grabbed a hand off the wall and left the garage after making sure no one was following him.

Frank walked out of the garage to see Edward leaning against his car with his phone out. He didn't say anything as he climbed in and saw that Stamper was sitting in the passenger seat. He waited until Edward had climbed into the driver's seat to speak. "Whatever happens in the next few hours, whatever you hear, we will never speak of it."

The two men remained silent but Frank could tell both of them knew what he meant. He could see shock in Stamper's eyes and worry in Edward's eyes. Then after a few minutes more of silence, Stamper spoke. "I heard from Linda when I got back to the house. The President wants to meet with you in the morning. 8:30."

"About what?" Frank asked as Edward started driving down the street.

"I don't know."

* * *

Frank entered the Oval Office to see Vasquez, Walker and Matthews all sat around the desk. And he couldn't tell if Vasquez had told the other two about his reasons for wanting Matthew gone or if Matthews had decided to run.

"Frank," Walker said in greeting when he noticed him. The other two stood up at that and Frank could see blank expressions on both of their faces. "Now, when you brought up this idea, I wasn't sold. It struck me as both desperate and careless. But then Linda laid out all the pros, and they clearly outweigh the cons."

Frank looked at Vasquez in confusion, she wouldn't have done that without some ulterior motive. He listened as Walker continued. "I explained our reasoning to Jim and hoped he wouldn't think I was off my rocker."

"I did at first, but the President made some very good arguments." Matthews had a genuine smile on his face as he spoke with something akin to childlike glee in his voice. "It's a bold move, Frank. I'm very impressed."

Frank caught the wink Matthews sent at him as he spoke. 'Well, thank you, sir, for being open to the idea. And thank you, Mr. President, for taking the risk."

Walker nodded with a small smile on his face. "We'll need to work this out step by step. The execution has to be perfect."

"Where are things with Russo?" Vasquez asked once the President had finished speaking. "Any word from him yet?"

"We're still trying to locate him." 

"Well, is there any cause for worry?"

"It's been two days." Matthews and Walker shared a look.

"I have to admit that I am a bit worried. I mean, this must be an extremely difficult moment for him. We're hoping he'll reach out shortly."

Walker turned to Vasquez and ordered. "Let's get our people on it. I wanna know where he is." Vasquez nodded. "Now, once he withdraws, we have to move quickly. We'll make a joint statement as you proposed."

"It's a clear message, I think." Frank could hear Vasquez walking to the office door as he listened to Matthews. "Pennsylvanians matter to us, and we aren't going to let them down."

"That's right. I'll say that Jim's an invaluable asset to the White House, but that I have great admiration for the sacrifice he's willing to make for the people of his home state."

"And you should not accept his resignation until he's elected." Frank pointed out quickly. "That will show your continuing commitment to him."

"That's a good idea." Walker agreed.

"As long as I can devote myself wholly to the campaign, I agree." 

Walker nodded. "Now, should Jim win, we'll need to nominate a new Vice President immediately." He looked towards Vasquez who had moved back to the desk. "Linda, you're putting together a list of names?"

"Yes. And you can begin the betting process as soon as you narrow down the choices. I already have a shortlist of top contenders." Frank caught the look Vasquez sent him and he knew that meant his name was on that list.

"I want your input on that, Jim."

"More than happy to do so."

* * *

"Are you okay with Nash Aarons?" Frank asked Matthews as he took a seat on the couch opposite Walker. At the same time, a Secret Service agent entered the Oval Office and whispered something into his ear.

"I like Nash, but I'll want to bring some of my own people in," Matthews answered as he cut himself a piece of cake.

"Well, that won't be a problem. Nash is a team player."

"And we can reallocate some of your existing 2016 reelection funds-" Vasquez began but was interrupted by Walker.

"Excuse me, Linda." That made Matthews, Vasquez and Frank turn to look at Walker. "Peter Russo is dead. Suicide. He was found in his garage with the car still running." Frank turned around and leaned on the desk to make it look like he was upset. "I'm so sorry, Frank."

He could hear Matthews putting his piece of cake back on the table and Vasquez putting his cup of coffee down as he turned around. "May I have a moment, sir?"

"Of course," Walker said but Frank was already walking out of the office without a backwards glance. As he left the office, he could hear Vasquez and Walker talking about rescheduling the meeting.


	14. Chapter 14

Frank read through the papers in front of him with a calculated gaze, he didn't really have to read the papers because he already knew that the candidate wasn't qualified enough to replace Matthews but he did anyway. 

He saw out of the corner of his eye that Walker shot a small smile at the woman sitting in front of them before going back to reading his copy of the papers. He could also see that Vasquez was trying to not look annoyed at what was going on but was failing as her annoyance was evident.

"Well, you've passed the vetting process with flying colours," Walker spoke up to break the awkward silence that had filled the room. "Is there anything we might have missed?"

"No, sir." The woman replied.

"Tell me about your experience as the Chair of the Oversight Reform Committee." Frank looked at the President as he spoke then turned to look at the woman.

"It's been very rewarding." Frank and Vasquez shared a look at the non-answer. He was sure that this was annoying Walker just as much as it was annoying them.

"What are the biggest challenges you've had to face?"

"Partnership."

Frank directed his gaze back at the papers on the table in front of him as he tried to listen to the sound of the clock ticking. That was not the answer he was expecting and he knew Walker didn't expect that answer either.

"Well, I suppose a room filled with 435 big egos isn't the most hospitable place for oversight." The woman chuckled lightly at the joke but Frank could guess that she didn't find it funny.

The silence filled the room again until Walker asked. "Do you want to be Vice President, Tabitha?"

"It would be a great honour, sir." 

Frank, Vasquez and Walker all stared at her because they were expecting more of an answer than that. Then Walker finally said. "We'll be in touch."

"That's all?" The woman asked.

"For the time being." All of them stood up at the same time and Frank couldn't believe how stiff his legs felt after sitting down in one spot for so long.

"Thank you, Mr. President." Vasquez nodded and escorted the woman to the door let her put and closed it before turning back to the other two.

"We have to cross her off."

"I agree. She could put a crack addict to sleep and that is no easy task." Frank knew that because he had tried to put a crack addict to sleep in college and it didn't really work.

"Then what is she doing on the fucking list?" Walker held up the list in question as he spoke.

"Tabitha's a very gifted legislator," Frank replied.

"I don't want people who make sense on paper. I need at least one viable option. The two of you created this list and have proceeded to cross off every name you've put on it." Walker looked between the two of them.

"It's just a first pass, sir. We need time to fully vet all-"

"Jim is gonna win this thing in Pennsylvania and we're no closer to naming his replacement than we were a month ago."

Vasquez suggested. "Let us take another crack at it and give you a few more names to consider."

"I just want one name."

"We'll have something for you by tomorrow morning." Frank opened the office door and let Vasquez leave first before closing the door behind them.

He waited until they were in her office and he had closed the door to say. "He's ready to say yes to anything."

"Yeah, for this to work, I don't think you can be there. Not when I mention it."

"I agree. You bring it to in your morning brief, and when I show up, I'll act surprised." Frank opened Vasquez's office door.

"Assuming he's open to the idea."

"Look, all we have to do tomorrow is plant the notion in his head. And I'm sure you'll be persuasive." Frank closed the office door without letting Vasquez say anything else.

* * *

Frank climbed out of the car and looked up at the small house that belonged to Raymond Tusk, the multibillionaire. He expected a bigger house or at least something grander than a house that a middle-class family would live in.

"Edward?" The security guard looked out of the car window towards him.

"Yes, sir?"

"Stay in the car. It's most likely you'll staying here or at worst staying at a hotel so just wait here until I know where."

"Of course, sir." Frank walked up the path after getting Edward's answer and was about to knock on the door when a woman opened it for him.

"Mrs. Tusk?" Frank asked when he saw who the woman was.

"Jean, please." She replied. "You must be Frank, come in. So nice to meet you. The guest room is this way and is that bodyguard of yours staying in a hotel or not?"

He pulled out his phone and sent off a quick text to Edward. "It's very kind of you to have invited us to stay here. Edward will be along momentarily."

Jean led him up a flight of stairs. "Why waste the taxpayers' money on a hotel when we have two perfectly good beds?"

"Well, they and I are very grateful." Frank heard the front door open slightly and knew that Edward had entered the house. He then heard another set of feet climbing the stairs and knew that Edward was only a few feet behind them.

"I'm sorry Raymond isn't awake to greet you. He goes to bed at-" Jean began but Frank interrupted her.

"I know he's an early riser. I understand." Frank entered the room and was glad to notice the two beds were pushed apart. It would be useful depending on how he and Edward decided how they would be sleeping.

"Would you like a wake-up knock?" Jean asked quietly.

"No. I have an alarm on my phone. And if that doesn't work then Edward will wake me, Marines always wake up early."

Jean smiled as Edward slipped into the room with a suitcase and bag in his hands. "Sleep tight."

"Thank you so much." Frank closed the door and looked at the beds. "How do you want to do this then, Edward?"

"Can we share one tonight, sir?"

Frank smiled. "Of course we can."

* * *

Frank looked around Tusk's office as he entered it and was surprised to find it bear. The only personal thing in the room was a collection of masks. He looked at the desk in the middle of the room as Tusk put his phone down and stood up.

"Ah." Tusk pointed at the masks and Frank knew that he had been spotted looking at them. "Uganda, Peru, Nepal, Indonesia...and Nicaragua."

"Well, you are quite the well-travelled man," Frank replied as he took a seat.

"No. I'm the man who stays at home. Jean brought those back for me."

Frank nodded and decided to get straight down to business. The quicker they got started the quicker he could get Tusk to reject the offer of the Vice Presidency. "Mr. Tusk, I am-"

"First names. After all, we have broken bacon together. We can safely assume that we're familiar with one another."

"Raymond," Frank corrected quickly. "I realise that you are a busy man, so I'm gonna cut to the chase. The President sincerely would like you to become the next Vice President."

"That part I already knew," Tusk replied. 

"And I'm here to convince you to say yes."

"Another thing I already knew."

"Well, I don't know that I can tell you anything you don't already know. But perhaps you can tell me what your hesitation is." Frank mentally growled when Tusk's phone started ringing. Tusk picked it up and Frank blanked out of the conversation until the phone had been out down again. "Now, I understand you might have some concerns about the financial disclosures leading-"

He was interrupted by the phone ringing and he blanked out of the conversation until the phone was put down again. Which was when Tusk started speaking. "I have eight different people representing me at eight simultaneous meetings in six time zones right now. I sit here and answer their questions, provided they come in the form of a single yes or no proposition."

"Well, then, let me give that a try." Tusk nodded in agreement and Frank knew it would speed the meeting up if he did that. "Would you like to be Vice President? Yes or no?"

Then the phone started ringing again. Tusk spoke as he picked up the phone. "I am very sorry. How about, you give me 20 minutes to wrap up these meetings and then we get out of the office and away from this damn phone? Meet me at my car. Betty can tell you where it's parked."

Frank smiled and stood up. _"He's deflecting. Whether it's because he's inclined to say no or because he wanted to be wooed to say yes, I don't know. This trip may take longer than I thought it would."_

* * *

"So I hear you went stomping through the woods today," Jean said and Frank loomed up from his food at that.

"We did. And then Raymond was kind enough to arrange a tour of the Fulton plant." Frank could sense that Edward nervous eating with the people who he was supposed to protect but he couldn't really do anything about that. 

"And I'm sure you were wondering, 'When is this old fool gonna get around to brass tacks?' 

"I'm simply here to answer questions. I figured that you would make up your mind when you're ready." Frank answered and he watched Tusk and Jean share a look.

"There are two minds here."

"We know all about the Blind trust."

"Does it concern either of you?" Frank asked once he had swallowed his piece of meat. 

"The words 'blind' and 'trust' are not among my favourites in the English language," Tusk answered. "But I have no problem with it in theory."

"Not managing our assets for a few years could burden us from a great deal of stress." Jean pointed out.

"So where does your reluctance stem from?"

"Why does the President want me?" Tusk countered.

"Well, I can not speak on his behalf-"

"Aren't you here to do just that?" Jean interrupted him.

"If I were to speculate the President would prob-"

"Speculation is a poor form of investment. And an equally perform of politics. Tell me what you know."

"I don't know what you mean." Frank had no idea what Tusk meant because Walker hadn't given him any extra information before he left.

Tusk and Jean shared another look. "Well, what do you think I should do? You, personally, Frank Underwood?"

"My opinion isn't what matters here." Frank knew the question was meant to catch him off guard which was what Tusk wanted.

"It does to me. Should I do it? Yes or no?"

Frank paused as he thought about what to say. "Well, there's a great number of things to consider.-"

"And I'm sure you've considered them all. Yes or no, Frank?"

Frank could see out of the corner of his eye that Edward was watching him cautiously. "No, I will not answer that question."

"Because you think I shouldn't," Tusk replied.

"Because it's not relevant."

"Let me ask you another way then. Would you take the job?"

"It hasn't been offered to me."

"What if it were?"

"I have a distaste for hypotheticals just the same as you have a distaste for speculation." Tusk chuckled at that.

"All right, all right. That's enough business for now. We can discuss it more tomorrow."

Frank would consider that a win.

* * *

Frank muttered incomprehensibly under his breath which made Edward look towards him in worry. The darkness shrouded his face completely but Edward could still see that he was angry.

"Everything okay, sir?"

"It's a fucking test," Frank growled. "I wasn't sent here to get Raymond Tusk, I was sent here so Tusk could vet me." He started dialling a number.

"For the Vice Presidency, sir?"

"Yes. He won't tell Walker to nominate me unless I give him a blank check. Which is something that you don't give to someone you don't know." 

"Who are you calling?" Edward asked.

"An old friend." Frank put the phone to his ear when the call was out through. "Remy, we need to talk. Now."


	15. Chapter 15

Frank pushed open his office door to see Remy standing there with a look of confusion on his face. "Can I count on your absolute discretion?"

"Always, Frank," Remy answered by Frank could sense the confusion in him.

"Raymond Tusk. The President wants to tap him to replace Matthews. You and I cannot let that happen?" Frank growled, he was still furious after what Walker and Tusk pulled and he wasn't going to let this go. Not until Tusk was destroyed.

"Why not?"

"Because a third of his fortune is tied up in nuclear energy. Sancorp does not want a pro-nuclear businessman in the White House."

"The market is shifting towards natural gas anyway." Reply pointed out.

"Tusk either wants to stall that shift or reverse it."

"The Vice President doesn't have that kind of influence."

"Cheney did. And Tusk will. He and Walker are very close. And it's in neither of our best interests to see Sancorp's position in the market place diminished." Frank needed a way to get Tusk away from Walker otherwise his plans wouldn't work and he'd lose everything he had worked towards over the past several months.

"What's the ask?" Remy asked after a minute of silence.

"Tusk won't accept the nomination if he thinks his holdings are at risk. Sancorp needs to initiate a hostile takeover."

"He's worth three times what Sancorp is."

"I'm talking about the subsidiaries. We go after the companies that refine and ship the uranium, the support system that-"

"C'mon, Frank." Remy sighed. "There are stockholders to take into account, it's a huge financial exposure."

"We just need to distract him. Send a few token salvos and intimate there's more to come. All I'm asking is that you speak to your client and see if this is something they might be willing to consider." Frank could see Remy's hesitation. "The President announces Tusk on Friday, so we don't have a lot of time."

"I'll make some calls."

"Thank you, Remy." Frank watched as Remy left his office. _"If he doesn't deliver then I'm an invader with a few soldiers. If he does, I've got a fighting chance."_

* * *

"It's set for tomorrow. Tusk lands at 7:30. And then heads straight to the White House for dinner with the President." Vasquez explained as Frank stared at her.

"Is it on the official schedule?"

"No."

"We need it to be." 

"I can not do that. The President specifically asked that I leave it off." Frank looked at Stamper after Vasquez had spoken.

"Actually, that's good. We can make that work. Can you set up a meeting between Birch and the President?" Frank asked, if he could get the media to know Birch and Tusk we're meeting with the President then they would immediately jump to the conclusion that they were being considered to become the next Vice President.

"About what?" Vasquez asked.

"So he can give him his two cents about who he will nominate."

"I don't think we want Birch getting involved."

"He'll never get the chance."

Vasquez raised her eyebrows. "What are you planning?"

"Can you set up a meeting for later today? Yes or no?"

"I'm sure I can squeeze it in."

Frank nodded. "Good. I'll talk to Birch." He looked at Stamper. "Get him on the phone. This has to stay off the books just like Tusk. And book me a meeting with Cathy Durant."

"Okay."

"And finally, do you have a scheduler that you can fire?"

* * *

"You're saying that Walker is planning on nominating Raymond Tusk to replace Jim?" Catherine asked over the phone.

"That is exactly what I am saying," Frank replied. If he could get Catherine on his side then he would have a very powerful ally.

"Who else knows?"

"My bodyguard, my chief of staff, Linda Vasquez, Bob Birch and the mainstream media."

"What do you need me to do?"

"Come out against Tusk's nomination. Because if you do then I can get Womack, Birch and Blythe to come out against it as well."

"I'll put a statement out."

"Thank you, Cathy."

"Anything for you, Frank."

* * *

Frank looked up at Stamper as he knocked on his office door. "What is it?"

"Sancorp's stock." Frank moved out of the way so Stamper could bring up the other on his computer screen. "It's up 35% in the last four hours. It's all over the financial news. Tue is making a play."

Frank looked at the screen in fury, he knew who had done it and he knew who had betrayed him. "Get Remy on the phone." Stamper left the office as Frank picked up his phone pressed the button that connected him to Vasquez's office.

"I was just about to call you."

"I need to meet with Tusk before he sees the President tonight."

"He's already here."

"At the White House?"

"He decided to come in a few hours early," Vasquez explained. "His plane landed half an hour ago."

"Do you know where he is?"

"I don't know. He had his own car pick him up. I just found out." 

Stamper spoke up after putting his phone down. "Remy's not in his office. I let word there and in his cell."

"Look, you need to call me the moment you know where he is."

"Okay." Vasquez agreed immediately.

* * *

"Mr. President," Frank said as he entered the Oval Office and he was barely able to keep his expression blank when he saw Tusk sitting next to the Walker. "Mr. Tusk."

"Thanks for coming on such short notice," Walker replied as Tusk remained silent. "Have a seat, Frank."

Frank sat down in the chair opposite Walker and waited for him to speak. He would not speak first until he knew the nature of the meeting.

"I have a confession to make. Raymond and I have known each other for years. We don't publicize it, but he's been a trusted advisor to me. And I sent you to St. Louis so he could spend some time with you, give his two cents."

"On what, sir, if I may ask?" Frank wondered if Walker's hand had been forced by statements against Tusk's nomination as the Vice Presidents that had come from Catherine, Birch and the rest of the leadership. Even Matthews had said on live TV that Tusk shouldn't be the one to replace him.

"Offering you the Vice Presidency."

Frank faked an expression of shock as Tusk spoke up. "I told the President that in my humble opinion, both he and the country would be well served by a man as experienced, intelligent and loyal as you."

Walker leaned forward in his chair. "So, I'm officially asking, Frank."

"Sir, I-I don't know what to say," Frank replied. 

Walker chuckled a bit as a smile appeared on his face. "Say yes."

"Yes. It would be a great honour, sir." Frank and Walker stood up and shook hands.


	16. Chapter 16

Frank climbed out of the car and could tell immediately that Claire was spending the night somewhere else because there was not once light on inside the house. He was climbing the steps when a thought struck him, one that was quite amazing.

"Edward." Edward turned to look at him and moved forward so they were only standing a few inches apart. "I take care of my own, and you've proved yourself to be very valuable in more ways than just professionally. I would like you to be the head of my security detail once I get confirmed."

"T-that's the Secret Service, sir." Edward pointed out quickly. "I'm Capitol Police."

"Then I'll put you on the Secret Service. If you're interested."

"I'd be more than interested, sir."

"Good." Frank turned around and started walking up the steps again but was surprised that there wasn't the sound of another pair climbing them. He turned around again. "There aren't many nights when Claire won't be staying at the house, so it's best to use them whenever possible."

Edward moved swiftly up the stairs as he spoke. "Of course, Mr. Vice President."

Frank smirked as he unlocked the front door. He liked the sound of that, he really did.

* * *

"What are you looking at, sir?" Frank looked up from his desk to see Edward standing in the doorway tucking in his shirt. 

"Just something extracurricular." Edward moved so he was standing next to Frank. 

"A map of the Washington metro?"

"Queens are always so hard to take," Frank replied as he trailed a finger across one of the lines on the map. Then he pointed a finger at a spot at it. "That will work."

"What will, sir?" Edward asked as he buckled his belt.

"When's the next train coming through this line?"

"Two hours, sir." 

"That will work." Frank picked up his phone and fired off a text to a certain reporter. Then he turned to Edward and kissed him quickly. "I'll be back soon. I just need to change."

* * *

Frank remained silent even when he heard Zoe lean against the metal fencing on the other side. "Have you thought about what we discussed on the phone?"

"I think you're right. We should start with a clean slate."

Frank kept staring at the area where the train he was waiting for would come through and knew he had around five minutes until it came through. "And our text messages?"

He saw out of the corner of his eye that Zoe had pulled her phone out of her pocket and he knew that she had deleted them. "And the contact." He waited another minute before speaking again. "Are we good?"

Four minutes left.

"Yeah," Zoe replied.

"And we can put all this other nonsense behind us and trust one another and continue to help one another?"

"I'd like that."

"Then consider the slate clean."

"Answer me one thing." Frank already knew what question she was going to ask. She had known exactly what she was going to do from the moment she had started speaking because she was so obvious. "The passenger seat? You said Russo was trying to get out, but there was nothing abnormal-"

"I thought we just agreed." 

"I want to believe you, but I need details, more than what you're sharing."

"What is your question?"

"The night Russo fell off the wagon, he was at a fundraiser, the McNeally Cancer Institute."

"All in the police report."

"Rachel Posner was at the hotel that night."

"And that is?" Frank lied, he knew exactly who she was because Stamper wasn't able to hide anything from him.

"The call girl who was with Russo when he was arrested."

"I didn't know her name."

"She disappeared, Francis."

"When?"

"Don't act surprised. I showed the bellman a photo. One of them remembers seeing her." Frank shook his head, Zoe was getting dangerously close to a secret of his.

"The girl's a prostitute. I'm sure she frequents many hotels."

"But that hotel on that night?"

"Now you sound like Miss Skorsky is talking."

"I haven't discussed this with anyone. I wanted to ask you first."

"I have no idea what happened that night except that Peter started drinking again. I don't know who was or wasn't there. I wish I was. Maybe I could have stopped him."

"Do you know where Rachel is?"

"Listen to what I am saying."

"I'm trying to protect us both. There are questions anyone could ask."

"But no one is except you. I can not imagine what you're after."

Zoe sighed. "I took a chance, showed up at your house and placed myself at your feet. Crossed ethical lines, professionally, personally, and I hold myself accountable for that. Those are my choices and I can live with them. I'd like to move forward, but I need to know exactly what I was a part of, that...that I wasn't apart of someone's..."

"Finish your thought," Frank said when it became obvious she wasn't going to continue.

"Apart of someone's murder."

"Jesus." Frank moved so he was hidden out of sight of the rest of the people in the station. He knew what he had to do. 

"I wanna believe you, Francis." She walked so she was stood in front of Frank and was about to stay something else. He grabbed her and spun her around before he pushed her into the train that was about to come out of the tunnel.

He turned and walked away as the train skidded to a stop and the people rushed to the other side of the platform.


End file.
